Children born with disabilities due to marrying in the family
Question
In Islam, is cousin marriage allowed?
Medical science says that cousin marriage is wrong because it causes disabled children. Yes, there are many cases where children are completely fine but there are many cases where children are disabled because of cousin marriage.
My Conclusion: cousin marriage is risky.
Please advise me whether we should do cousin marriage or not? If your answer is yes then how can we overcome this risk?
Answer
There are cases where people married their cousins and their children were born well and other cases where their children were born with disabilities. Similarly, there are cases where people married out of their family and their children were born well and other cases where their children were born with disabilities. Hence, when we find that disabilities are also found in children whose parents' are not cousins, then there is no reason to confine or associate this problem to people who marry their cousins. Therefore, in Shariah there is no prohibition in one marrying one's cousin.
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
- Answered by
- Mufti Zakaria Makada
- Checked & approved by
- Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)
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