Islamic marriage advice and family advice

Marrying my cousin… Is it safe?

cousin tree, family tree, family relations chart

Family tree showing cousin relationships and definitions

Assalamualikum,

Brothers,

I am asked to marry my cousin sister, our family structure is as below,

My mom got married to my Dad who is from different generation.
My cousin sister's Mom and my mom are sisters and her father is their cousin brother (all three are from same generation).

My first question is are we second cousins since her parents are first cousins?
Second will there be any Genetic problems in my kids because of this marriage (Masha-allah both the families have healthy children)?

I read that marring second cousins, the chances of abnormalities in future kids are more.

May Allah bless everyone.

Please answer this at the earliest.
Jazak-allah

Syed Idris Pasha


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4 Responses »

  1. This girl is your first cousin, not your second cousin. In fact, she is closer to you genetically than most first cousins, because her father is also related to your mother.

    Islamic cultures has abnormally high rates of deafness, birth abnormalities and infertility compared to other cultures where consanguineous marriages are not the norm.

    You really should think carefully about this situation.

  2. Assalaamalykum warahmatullah

    Islam does not prohibit you from marrying your cousins but also islam teaches you its better to marry of outside of your families.
    Personally i am in the same sitution and i would advise you to either do genetic testing or marry outside of ur family,
    Everything is from Allah swt. Yet you have to try your best.

    Everything good is from Allah swt, anything bad is from me.

  3. Consult a doctor
    He could give you better insight
    Good luck
    Salamalekum

  4. Al-hamdu lillah (All praise be to Allah). There is no objection whatsoever in the Islamic religion for a man to marry any of his relatives except al-maharim (those forbidden for marriage) whom Allah mentioned in surat al-nisaa', 4:23 (interpretation of the meaning):

    Prohibited to you (for marriage) are: your mothers, daughters, sisters; father's sisters, mother's sisters; brother's daughters, sister's daughters; foster-mothers (who breast-fed you), foster-sisters (who breast-fed from the same woman as you); your wives' mothers; your step-daughters under your guardianship, born of your wives with whom you have consummated marriage, no prohibition if ye have not consummated; (those who have been) wives of your sons proceeding from your loins; and two sisters in wedlock at one and the same time, except for what is past; for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

    Among the most prominent evidence of this fact is that the Prophet (peace be upon him) married his daughter Fatima to Ali (may Allah be pleased with them) and he is the son of her father's uncle, as well as the marriage of the Prophet himself to Zainab bint Jahsh (may Allah be please with her) and she is his aunt's daughter (i.e. his cousin); and there are many other such examples.

    However, a different question may be asked, namely: "Is it better or preferable for a Muslim to marry someone he is not related to rather than a relative?"

    The answer to this question varies from case to case, and perhaps it may be preferable to marry people who are non-relations, for example if one aspires to form new social ties or bonds, and regards the existence of a marriage relationship with a different family as constructive in widening the circle of social bonds.

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