It is like a bad dream which won’t go away. How do you contemplate losing a brother? How do you get on with your life when you’ve lost a piece of it? How?

Every day I miss my little, baby brother. Just looking at the doors in the house remind me of him, thinking he’s going to walk through them any moment or just take a peek inside (he used to do that a lot, he used to stick his head in a room just to see who was in there and whether to enter or not). Or when I’m standing outside my house I think I’ll see him walking up from the park with his friends. How do I even try to describe the pain of losing the youngest member of my family? The only thing that gives me comfort is knowing that he’s in a better place, that he’s with our Prophet Sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa aalihii wasallam, that’s what gives me comfort.

Question:

My question relates to marrying first cousins. Although it's permissible in Islam, I was wondering as regards to arguments against this as many people cite health issues and high rates of disabilities among children. I’m struggling to get my head around a ruling in Islam that potentially puts people or children at risk. I am in no way saying the Islamic ruling is wrong as I would never oppose anything in Islam but rather I would like clarification so as to have a better understanding as non-Muslims often ask why we would have this ruling and always cite particular studies.

Answer:

Thank you for your question and your concern for supporting the religion.

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.

I checked myself in the mirror for the last time... "First impression is last impression" my mothers familiar saying rang in my ears and I smiled at myself sure that my reflection was sure to attract the right crowd on my first day. I had carefully matched my hijab with my dress and handbag and was sure my jeans were baggy enough.

"Wow, you'll have no trouble making friends," gushed my younger sister. Nervous as I was I shrugged as though I couldn't care less but as soon as she was gone I began reciting the du'a I had been taught to bless me with good company.

Khalid bin Waleed (radhi'allahu anhu) was one of the greatest generals EVER! Before he converted to Islam he fought against Muslims. However, after becoming Muslim he fought courageously and spread Islam to Iraq and Syria.

Unbeaten general

Khalid (r.a.) commanded Muslim armies in wars against two massive superpowers – the Persians and the Byzantines.

Whilst taking Iraq from the Persians, Khalid (r.a) killed a Persian general in a one-on-one fight. He also fought and killed a man who the Persians thought had the strength of ‘a thousand men’.

Khalid (r.a.) told his representatives in Iraq to be good and kind to the Iraqis. The Iraqis became fond of the Muslims because they weren’t used to justice and kindness from the Persians. They welcomed Muslims as liberators.

Yep, I just mentioned the 'S' word. Aren't I naughty! Sex is not a topic that we should be afraid to talk about or brush under the carpet. There is no taboo in Islam.

We live in a society where Britain has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in Europe and an extremely high abortion rate amongst teenage girls. And believe it or not that includes Muslim girls as well.

'Really?' I hear you say.

I present a talk show in a local radio station in Ramadan, and in one show last year a studio guest mentioned that the local priest who visits the abortion clinic stated that the majority of girls who attend to have an abortion at the clinic are Muslim girls who became pregnant by their Muslim boyfriends.