Cousin Marriage is a massive issue especially amongst Asian Muslims in the UK. It divides the Muslim community like nothing else. You're either dead against it because of cultural and medical reasons or its 'cousin marriage or no marriage' in your parents eyes. Mainly it's parents who favour it and the youth who oppose it. The Revival spoke to the Muslim Youth across the UK to get their views on cousin marriages:
Farzana Patel, 25, Bury
I am all for cousin marriages and I don’t see anything wrong with it. The scientific point that people who marry their cousins have defective children is a load of rubbish, because if it was true all or majority of disabled children would have parents who are cousins.
From a religious point of view there is no prohibition at all, so why should we prohibit it socially? Me and my partner are cousins and I found it an advantage that I knew him and his family, so he wasn’t a stranger and I felt comfortable.
Mohsin Shahid, 25, Oldham
Do I think one should marry their cousin? No. There are several reasons for this. Many people in our communities do not realise what the medical problems are, such as hereditary illnesses. Our parents deny this over and over again, claiming that ‘we didn’t have these problems and look at us - we’re cousins’. However, what they fail to see is that one, or both, of them might be carriers of illnesses or have a recessive gene which can lie dormant for generations, but then be passed onto a child or grandchild.
Another reason is that when you marry your cousins, you can’t be as open with them as you would with an ‘outsider’- you end up treating them like you do your sister! You may accept someone as a spouse when you marry them, but I don’t think you can enjoy your life in the same way as you would if you didn’t marry a cousin. Likewise, your wife also cannot be as open with you, i.e. she might not raise any issues concerning her in fear of upsetting your parents who are either her aunty or uncle.
If someone WANTS to marry their cousin then I think that’s fine. But forcing someone to marry their cousin is bad. My advice is that if someone is going to marry their cousin, they should at least have a medical checkup. Our people might see this as a bad thing, disrespectful even, but I think that this is a necessary precaution.
Sadia Hussain, 23, Bradford
In my family, many of our cousins have some sort of disability because not only are their parents first cousins, but the entire family is inter-related. When you confront them, they insist that they’re not disabled because of the close relations; it’s just ‘Allah’s Will’.
Then there’s the issue of divorce. If one couple get divorced it effects the entire family, not just the two particular individuals. I remember when my sister got divorced, it caused so much drama and half the family stopped talking to her and my parents.
I too got married ‘in the family’, but at least my husband and I are not first cousins; we’re distantly related, which is at least better.
Abdul Ali, 23, Crawley
I think it’s wrong because you’re brought up to treat them as though they’re your brothers/sisters. Plus if something goes wrong, it’s awkward when you see them afterwards, because they’re still part of your family.
Nadia Ali, 26, Derby
Many people in our communities marry their children to cousins for several reasons. One is that the Prophet (pbuh) married his daughter Fatima (ra) to HER cousin, i.e. his (pbuh) nephew. So if the prophet (pbuh) did it, then they believe that they should also. Our older generation think that if they have a daughter-in-law who is their niece, i.e. their brother or sister’s daughter, then she will look after them better when they get older than an unrelated daughter-in-law would.
I myself married a cousin and it did not work out. In my opinion most of the people I know that are against cousin marriages are those that have had bad experiences. I do know people though who HAPPILY went ‘back home’ to marry a cousin and masha’Allah they are very happily married. My own parents are first cousins and have a very happy and loving marriage.
Syma Ahmed 22, Huddersfield
Having a Pakistani background, I view the issue of 'cousin marriages' with cultural sensitivity and an open mind. My very own family has pursued this practice. Setting aside the moral disdain people generally have for cousin marriages, my problem with this practice derives from the physical and social consequences that I have come to witness.
Firstly, the increased risk of genetic disease has become widely acknowledged. In Britain we learnt this in GCSE science, where we found that when two carriers of a disease reproduce there is a good chance their offspring will become a sufferer; family members who share the same genes therefore, and are carriers, are more likely to reproduce a child with a genetic disease.
My biggest frustration is the unwillingness of many Pakistani people to even accept this as a possibility. Many parents believe these children would have been born with disorders anyway had their parents not been related. What is mind-boggling is the conviction of such statements. It seems to me that science is appreciated in the form of modern medicines, but becomes the enemy when it stands against cultural traditions. This is what I see as blissful ignorance. They refuse to acknowledge what is happening and carry on with these practices, blaming it on 'kismat' (destiny) when things go wrong.
"Why marry your cousin?" The basic answer is to uphold the hierarchy that predominates in Pakistani families of course, where the so-called elders rule with an iron fist. The idea of 'respecting your elders' to me is something that should be done and should be a way of life, though I have come to realise this phrase has been used as a tool of oppression.
Women are told to marry internally so that they will continue to 'belong' to the family. Their labour, their time, their space is owned by the family, and this continues when she marries her cousin. For the boy, mother-in-laws are instantly jealous of women who threaten to take away their sons.
These are generalisations and the issue is much too complicated to be conveyed here. However, what I will say is that in the C4 programme a father-in-law claimed he wanted his niece to marry his son because the bond of love is already there. I think it’s more the case that it’s hard in Britain to find a daughter-in-law who will do the constant bidding of the in-laws without it ending in divorce two years later.
Cousin marriages are not about two people simply coming together to get married; it’s a mechanism to uphold the family order, it’s about the paranoia of an outsider marrying into the family, but more importantly it’s a source of protection for certain members of the family who want the world to continue revolving around them.
Jamal Khan, 34, Sheffield
If cousin marriages, like any marriage, are done without force and with the full consent of the man and woman, and with the couple being compatible with each other, then I say 'why not'? My problem with cousin marriages is that most cousins who marry don't really have a choice; it's either marry this cousin or that cousin... not marry whoever is compatible with you, because marrying outside the family is seen as a crime.
My biggest issue with cousin marriages is that if it doesn't work out and the couple divorce then many, many families, and even generations, fall out for life, unlike in non-cousin marriages where only the couple or the two families are affected.
Haffsah Nazir, 22, Rochdale
To put it simply, I think marriages between cousins are wrong. Your cousins are your extended family, and should be treated like brothers and sisters, not potential life partners. Yet there seems to be a lasting tendency for parents to arrange cousin marriages whilst children are still toddlers.
More than anything else I believe it is emotional blackmail that ‘encourages’ young Muslims to marry within the family, and it’s a real shame that parents make their children feel as though they should ‘repay’ them through marriage.
I think it’s unfair that many young people are not given a degree of freedom and choice when choosing the person they are ultimately likely to spend the rest of their lives with. I also believe that on issues such as this, the generation gap is becoming much more apparent.
On top of this there are a whole load of medical factors that come into play with cousin marriages, and again I feel this is unfair on all persons involved, although I am ignorantly unaware of the facts around this.
Nazia Salim, 27, London
Fortunately growing up, I knew that cousin marriage would never be an issue in my life. My parents were not cousins, nor were any of my grandparents. I was also lucky enough not to have any male cousins near my age. I felt sorry for school friends that were expected to marry their cousins when they grew up.
I am happily married to someone who is not related to me at all. I’ve enjoyed getting to know my husband; where he went to university, what he got up to at school, the part time jobs he did growing up, and I’ve enjoyed getting to know his family members too. This information wouldn’t have been new to me if he was a cousin of mine.
My husband and I are very protective about our privacy and have a zero tolerance approach for any interference in our marriage. This is easily done, because I don’t have a double relationship with anyone in our family. This wouldn’t have been the case if I had married into the family. I also don’t have the fear that if (God forbid) my husband and I were to divorce, it would cause a huge family feud and a divide within the family.
My marriage is interesting and fun – that’s because even after two years of marriage I’m still getting to know my husband. I wouldn’t have had that level of mystery if I had married a cousin.
Yaqub Maqsood, 32, Leicester
I’m married to my cousin from Pakistan and it's been a happy 6 years so far alhamdulillah. I wasn’t forced into marriage, and got to know her well before we married. I have two sons now who are masha' Allah healthy and as active as ever. So I suppose I am proof that cousin marriages do and can work… the secret is to buy your own house and not let the ‘aunties’ interfere lol. The key is that you are compatible with each other and after that you put in 100% effort if you want your marriage to last forever and want to live happily ever after!
Most of my relatives have had cousin marriages and to be honest some haven’t worked out, but others are happy and dandy! It’s a shame that a lot of people don’t really get a choice when it comes to marrying their cousin and a lot are emotionally blackmailed! Also if (God forbid) it doesn’t work out then hundreds of families here and abroad completely fall out for years, if not life!
Even though I’m not against cousin marriages I wouldn’t want my kids to marry their cousins because of the reasons I’ve mentioned, but mainly because my grandparents, parents and me have all married first cousins, and the gene pool now will be so weak that I think my kids are at a ‘higher risk’ of having disabled children… and I don’t want to gamble with their lives. I'd rather they marry anyone compatible and Islamic and avoid all the cousin marriage politics altogether.
Shamila, 22, Shipley
I think the only people that want cousin marriages are the parents. No person in their right mind would happily marry their cousin if there wasn't some sort of family pressure. Our cousins are like brothers and sisters - particularly in close knit families.
Parents want their kids to marry their cousins for their own self-interests. They dress it up by saying it’s the Islamic thing to do when Islam does not encourage or discourage it.
Parents want their kids to marry cousins because they think that a related daughter-in-law is more likely to treat them well and look after them, regardless of whether she’s the right girl for their son, thereby acting in their own interests.
Generations of cousin marriages lead to a limited gene pool too, so scientifically it can't be a good thing either.
Comments
triple risk
My English is not very good
yes but how do you do that? Where is the validity in that approach?
If cousin marriages have been going on for generations and the risk now is 2/3% above average, surely that shows that you can't such a multiplier? I dont see how you can apply exponential growth to the defects - if that was the case, some issues would have arisen and been obvious milenia ago - fourth generation and there would be only 32% healthy, 5th generation, everyone doomed.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
Cousin marriage would be a good place to start as it is one of the main reasons
Thats a very good thing and now it will be made mandatory in the UK as well
So its not a test that will only benefit the wealthy it will benefit the society as a whole rich or poor regardless
My English is not very good
Just go to any Hospital in Bradford UK and see how many sick and disabled children that there are born to Pakistani - Mirpuri parents because of cousin marriage you won't see that many English kids disabled there because they don't tend to marry there cousins
Yes everyone is doomed 4th 5th and all generations onwards
My English is not very good
yes,. but by your maths, there would be no fifth generation, but that is evidently not the case.
The NHS link mentioned how people over estimage such defects quite often and I think that is the case with the multiplier that you are using.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
If there is a 5th generation they are going to be so weak and ill they will not be able to reproduce which is my fear
My English is not very good
Gene mutation IS the will of Allah dude, how can it NOT be? so you're saying there's some stuff God controls and others He doesnt? geez dude..you're getting dangerously close to the trouble line...
no offence to anyone here but Pakistani- "Mirpuri" (no idea who this is) is only a small part of the world population. im getting real bored of this conversation. and angry.
i would take the freaking test if i had to. but thats just coz i wouldnt be allowed to have kids otherwise (talk about state intervention...) but i really wouldnt really give a damn about the results. coz its all up to God.
and the faith in Allah's decree. its even stronger when you have kids. geez dude, you cant even control the SEX of your kid. how you gona control their gene mutation....
ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?
Gene mutation is NOT the will of Allah because the doctors know about it before hand with this test, It would only be conceded the will of Allah if doctors did not detect an abnormality before hand
Mirpur is in Azad Kashmir (in between India and Pakistan), They talk Pahari its like the Punjabi spoken in Rawalpindi Pakistan
The people of Mirpur them self's are children of Hindus and Sikhs that converted to Islam to save there lives as in 1947 they were given 1 choice that choice was convert to Islam if not then have your Wife [s] Daughters- Sisiters rapped and your men killed thats why most of them converted the ones that didn't got killed a few managed to escape
If you don
My English is not very good
dude; with these tests, what wld be the % accuracy? these days docs say that kids willl be born with holes in heads, malfunctionning hearts blahblahblah the kids are FFFFFFFFFIIIIIIIINNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEE (and so so so beautiful)
pff...if im gona be told to "go home and have some paracetamol" thank you, I'll stick to reading my Quran instead of travelling to doc, waiting 2 hours, being seen 5 minutes, going home.
who created the GENE in the first place, who created it defective? Allah subhanahou wata'ala
abt your last para: thats why we shouldnt do the test in the first place, so as not to be faced with such a dilemna.
I think.
Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?
You said that
Then who created Allah?
Gene mutation is to do with DNA coding it
My English is not very good
[quote=stopincest]
Then who created Allah?
Gene mutation is to do with DNA coding it
Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?
[quote=Lilly][quote=stopincest]
Then who created Allah?
Gene mutation is to do with DNA coding it
My English is not very good
NO ONE CREATED ALLAH(SWT)
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
[quote=stopincest]
Lilly,
You did not answer my question dear
Who created Allah?
Allah / God controls every thing but how did he come into existence?
The brain controls the functions of the body from what I understand
Why does god create catastrophes for he
Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?
I dont think you understand
let me tell you in your own language Mirpuri:-)
Allah ki Kere Bande pehde Kita Ae and now you are going to say
Mikki Koni Pata mein Mirpur wich pana reyan taan mikki koni pata (I don't know)
when a disabled child is born you say Hae Allah ni marji Maarya Putra asan Keh Kari Sakne Ae Koi kal ni aik hoor behda kari chorsan matae oh theek ovae
and when you want to eat and drink you say -mein roti kasan te pari kangi peesan
You think I dont know your language I know Pahari, (also known as Mirpuri)Punjabi, English, Urdu
Write back like I have done and proof you are from Mirpur and not a faker
My English is not very good
[quote=Lilly][quote=stopincest]
Lilly,
You did not answer my question dear
Who created Allah?
Allah / God controls every thing but how did he come into existence?
The brain controls the functions of the body from what I understand
Why does god create catastrophes for he
My English is not very good
im not from Mirpur. and being from that place got nothing to do with what you're talking about. can you translate.
Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?
That post was meant for Power of Mirpur and if he is from Mirpur or if his parents are from there he will translate it for us
I asked you that what proof do you have of Jannah (Heaven)
My English is not very good
Secondly
Bandeh istara ni sochna, oh sochne Allah Na SHUKR ah usah ki bache dithe neh. It is insulting to say "yeah we'll just have some more" WTH is wrong with you. Children are blessings from Allah(swt) disabled or not.
Tusah kiya sochney oh mein jhoot marni ah?!
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
Come on
Shukar taan karna Chae na je bacha changa wala theek thaak hove te
je loola lagra ave te keh faeda us bache na jera kuj ni kari sakna opRe wasta
khaee pi ni sakna kapri ni Laa sakan baar acchi jaee ni sakni kuj kak ni cari sakna poori jindgi oh Pukka vi Mari sakna osne hoor bache ni hoesakne
Bache na ae faeeda hona jile maa / peyoo Budda hoi jae te oh fir samlna we
Tu maari gal samji kina ae ki ni?
My English is not very good
I still don't understand your point
You asked which person created God, I replied No one. And that is how my answer shall remain.
What does pana mean?
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
No. If you love Allah swt and are thankful, you will be grateful whether your child is disabled or not. Ofcourse if the child is disabled/ill then obviously the parents are going to be upset etc.
Also if the child can't do anything for himself, (or you once you're old :roll: - that is not the only/greatest purpose of children, after all they can die before their parents, they don't have to outlive them!) then that will be a test to the parents for Allah(swt) and inshaAllah, they will be rewarded for it, in the next life.
I heard in a Q+A once that if the doctors find out that the baby is not going to be able to live properly at all then you can abort it...(If i remember correctly)
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
Then who did create good?
Pana or parna means to Educate or read
They say in Mirpur Maara Bacha Pari likhi Keh Doctor bansi te fir Walayat (England) Jaasi te khole paise kamaasi te fir asaan bari jaee kothi kinsan
You know what I am saying is true about the Kothi thing
My English is not very good
Agar baca budde onyan na samaley fir us bache ki loowo ar as they say Muthaa Laao
jile maa peyoo Budde oee jasan te fir us loole lagre disabled bache ki kon samalsi? osni janani (wife) ni ohn lagi oh akhsi mein loole langre murre naal beya naa karne jisle maa peyoo mari jasan oh bacha pukkha paran mari jasi kiyan ki oh haandi roti ni pakaae sakna us ki koi samj ni hon lagi ke mein keh karan fir oh sochsi ki mikki Allah isra kiyan pehdey kitti baaki bachae theek taak an mein kiyan iya jya wan
Write back like I am or you don't understand what I am saying
My English is not very good
I aint got time to play your games. The fact that I'm replying shows that I understand - If you don't think so then that's your problem - Why would I lie anyway?
And when the parents are old/die, the disabled child will be looked after by Allah(swt). Actually Allah(swt) will be looking after that person all their lives - just like He looks after us.
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
How will Allah look after disabled children :? Will Allah brush there teeth for them, bath them feed them cloth them I think not
My English is not very good
That's not your problem. Allah(swt) is the carer of everyone, one way or another they will be looked after. It might not be in a 'pleasant' way, they may have to live a rough life, they may be tested loads but Allah(swt) looks after everyone and He is the best of planners.
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
Why should they have to live a rough life what have they done wrong? why are they being punished for there parents mistakes?
Besides its not a real test it's a " Self infected" test so that the parents can keep there money and land in the family and its the people of Mirpur who do it the most in UK Bradford Birmingham London if you dont believe me then go to the Hospitals and ask them
that children of which ethnicity are born disabled the most they will tell you that children who's parents are from Mirpur and Pakistan are born disabled the most because of INCEST Cousin marriage
Lets hope your parents dont tell you to marry your cousin
My English is not very good
stopincest - do you believe in God?
If you do believe in God and Islam, why do you go so far in arguments to invalidate those beliefs just to win your argument? That is losing on a monumental scale.
Just to recap, not all children of cousin marriage are deformed, and not all parents of deformed kids are cousins.
An interesting article and video on BBC News Magazine: Should my hereditary disability stop me having a baby?
Watch the video too.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
I was born Muslim what can I do
I not sure if there is a god or not I have not seen him I am sure You- You have not seen him
Just to recap if people took that DNA test I posted about then doctors would tell the parents that your child would be born disabled then they may not want to have that child, but I would go as far as not letting them have that child because its not fair on the child as its going to suffer all its life
My English is not very good
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