Nine out of 15 Swedish mosques visited by undercover reporters either agreed to perform unlawful polygamous marriages or referred reporters to individuals who could do so, according to an investigation published on Wednesday.
The SVT program Uppdrag Gransking deployed male reporters posing as married men seeking a second wife. While six locations refused and cited the requirement for a legal pre-marriage assessment by the Swedish Tax Agency, personnel in Halmstad, Örebro, and both mosques in Uppsala indicated willingness to proceed.
Did You Know? A previous 2012 investigation by the same program, titled Imamernas råd, examined similar issues when a woman sought support regarding domestic abuse and demands for polygamy from an imam.
In Uppsala, Bashir Ahmed quoted the Quran to a reporter and stated he saw no problem with performing a second marriage, telling the reporter to arrive on a Saturday at 6:30 AM.
Yaser Abu Jheisheh, chairman of Uppsala moské, reacted to the recording by stating, “Det gör ont i hjärtat,” and convened an emergency meeting where the board dismissed the imam. Abu Jheisheh said that the actions risked the mosque’s long-term community outreach work.
At the Stenhagenmoskén in Uppsala, Masud Mohamad agreed to arrange witnesses who would not recognize the groom, telling the reporter, “Du behöver inte nämna att du har hittat mig.” Mohamad has since stepped down from his board position and been barred from leading Friday prayers.
In Örebro, adviser Abu Aous initially stated over the phone that a marriage could be performed outside the mosque for 2,000 kronor, though he later claimed via text message that it was a misunderstanding. The Örebro mosque subsequently suspended Abu Aous and announced a review of staff authorized to answer inquiries.
In Helsingborg, Tarek Hussein participated in a family counseling session with reporters playing a married couple and urged the “wife” to accept her husband taking a second wife. Helsingborgs moské said that Tarek is not employed by them, that they bear no responsibility for his statements, and that they will review their referral practices.
Reporter Sanna Klinghoffer criticized the guidance provided during the visits, stating, “Ingen som besöker en moské ska behöva få de här råden.” Klinghoffer emphasized that registered marriages in Sweden are strictly monogamous, noting that Muslim organizations publicly profess adherence to local laws despite these findings.
The broadcast also featured recorded advice on isolating family members from non-believers. When a reporter mentioned having a Jewish friend, a schejk in Stenhagen responded, “Gud förbjude […] Det går absolut inte,” and advised that a husband could ensure his wife stays home by having children in rapid succession.
Meanwhile, Bahareh Andersson, who participated as a seeker in the 2012 documentary, stated, “Det är vi muslimer som betalar priset.”
Reporters visited a total of 15 mosques across Sweden using hidden cameras to test responses to requests for unauthorized polygamous marriages.
Mosques in Uppsala, Örebro, and Helsingborg initiated disciplinary steps, which included suspending involved imams, removing advisers from board positions, and promising reviews of staff communication guidelines.
No, it is not possible to register marriages with more than one person in Sweden, and no marriage can occur without a so-called hindersprövning.
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