📰Article Pakistan & Cousin Marriages, by Mkesath

Short Summary: Source: https://medium.com/@truthseeker23/cousin-marriages-and-its-effects-what-pakistan-can-do-to-prevent-it-moving-forward-d3218c999f5a

[H1]Cousin Marriages and its effects, what Pakistan can do to prevent it moving forward.[/H1]

Hi there, i will start the post by saying that cousin marriages are extremely common in Pakistan, more then anyone in its region. The affect these marriages have can be genetical as well as making the atmosphere of the country less capable of being progressive as it restricts free choice of spouses.

Starting of with the genetic side affects these marriages have

• being married to your cousin significantly increases the risk of congenital anomalies (birth defects), as outlined in The Lancet in July 2013. Cousin marriage increases the risks of birth defects from 3% to 6%.

How it affects the societies of Pakistan and why it is bad

• In Pakistan these cousin marriages are not about love but rather them having to get married for the sake of it. A girls parent most of the time forces her daughter to get married to their cousins. This mentality is very disastrous for the society as a whole and women freedom.
• it is promoted and seen as acceptable by uneducated religious zealots who don't know any better because it is not prohibited in Islam, fast food in unhealthy and not prohibited in Islam either, does that mean we should eat fast food all the time.
• Now one of cousin marriages may be fine in the situation however, the situation is that most of these marriages are not one of and there going through generations of consanguineous marriages.

It's been proven though that marriage among first cousins has an 8% chance of a birth defect and that risk only gets higher if those offspring continue to marry their first cousins which is the case in Pakistan.

Now according to Islam

Imam shafi says its disliked because it produces weak and mentally retarded children:

"There is not a group of people who do not bring forth their women to marry men other than their own men, nor do their men go forth to marry women other than their own, except their children will be fools (i.e. born with a mental defect)" [Adaab ash-Shaafi'ee wa Manaaqibuhu (pg. 99)
Source: al-Talkhīṣ al-Ḥabīr 1371

Holy Prophet (saw) said, "Don't marry a near relative (such as a first cousin) as it results in a defective or weak child that is born" 12

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) married out his blood line to Khadijah which grants further genetic diversity.

Al-Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

She should not be a close relative, because that reduces desire… End quote from Ihya' 'Ulum ad-Din (2/41).

Ibn Abi Mulaykah reported: Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said to the house of Al-Sa'ib, "You have become frail, so marry intelligent people unrelated to you."

Imam Shafi and Imam Ahmad, the two leading scholars of the Sunni school of thought dislike cousin marriage and have declared it as makruh. Similarly, some other scholars like Imam Ghazali have also discouraged cousin marriage

Imam al-Maawardi (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: "They (i.e. the Arab) used to choose or the likes of this situation marrying those who are distantly related and are strangers (to each other). They saw that this is more conducive for childbirth and excellent for the creation (of a newborn). They used to avoid marrying family and relatives. They saw that it was harmful for the creation of the child and its birth" End translation. [Adab ad-Dunya wad-Deen (pg. 173)]

In summary, even though Islam does not prohibit cousin marriages, it is still disliked and discouraged. Anything harmful is for a child will always be prohibited in Islam.

Another reason to avoid "possible conflict" within the 2 families, if you marry your cousin and then get a divorce, big drama might happen between the 2 families and if you marry someone who isn't a cousin/relative then no drama is going to take place.

Islam always teaches us that prevention is better than cure.

Now a solution for this is to spread awareness about this in Pakistan, about what Islam says, how according to Islam women should have the choice to marry their own spouses and not be forced with a cousin, this inherently will reduce the cousin marriages, also strict laws and policies should be put in place which prohibits cousin marriages or blood related marriages. The government should take action and build a more progressive environment for women for a better future. We as ordinary Pakistanis should help raise awareness, try to stop others from carrying on this disastrous practice and spread the word.

Thanks for reading

 

[Old School]

First, Cousin Marriage may become scientifically dangerous if it is done over many generations. Once-off ones are not inbreeding, based on research. As you see, at least one of the gene pools in cousin marriage is external through either father or mother. However, if it is done over many generations, it may become an issue and can be seen as inbreeding. Hindu cultures generally discourage marriage between the same family names ( gotra) and opt for the same caste but different clans ( gotra).

 

[Old School]

You also need to understand why people opt for cousin marriage as many neo-rich people in Pakistan come from a very low class, and their children are not properly educated on behaviors. They are rich but uncultured. So, people do not want to become a family with them. Instead, they rather go for their people.

 

[Azad Kashmir]

pakistan by law should force all ppl to get pre marital screening just before marriage to filter out inbreeding issues.

 

[Old School]

pakistan by law should force all ppl to get pre marital screening just before marriage to filter out inbreeding issues.

By Pakistani law, cousin marriage is legal. Which country does pre-marital screening? We have more important things to take care of.

 

[Mkesath]

First, Cousin Marriage may become scientifically dangerous if it is done over many generations. Once-off ones are not inbreeding, based on research. As you see, at least one of the gene pools in cousin marriage is external through either father or mother. However, if it is done over many generations, it may become an issue and can be seen as inbreeding. Hindu cultures generally discourage marriage between the same family names ( gotra) and opt for the same caste but different clans ( gotra).

that is exactly what is going on in Pakistan, the cousin marriages are not one off and are causing issues not only genetically but also culturally as its become the norm sadly.

 

[Mkesath]

By Pakistani law, cousin marriage is legal. Which country does pre-marital screening? We have more important things to take care of.

If not that then Pakistan should at least put a ban on it and make it illegal to do, or if that is to much to implement or to carry out then at least they can raise awareness in levels and just discourage it as being bad, i say this because no other country has this issue as bad as Pakistan does, and in my opinion this is a important problem

 

[Old School]

If not that then Pakistan should at least put a ban on it and make it illegal to do, or if that is to much to implement or to carry out then at least they can raise awareness in levels and just discourage it as being bad, i say this because no other country has this issue as bad as Pakistan does, and in my opinion this is a important problem

It is easier said than done, as the cousin marriage culture in Pakistan is thousands of years old, which even goes back to the pre-Islamic tribal period. Private organizations can raise awareness, but people are afraid to make family ties with unknown or even lower-class people. It is a complex social/cultural issue that is not a matter for the government to solve. Any attempt to do otherwise will fail and will create civil unrest all over Pakistan and that is bad for national security.

 

[Azad Kashmir]

By Pakistani law, cousin marriage is legal. Which country does pre-marital screening? We have more important things to take care of.

iran does.

 

[Old School]

iran does.

Iran does not do that for cousin marriages. Iranians do that for STDs like STI tests: HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and Syphilis. Even then, there are briberies to alter the reports.

 

[Mkesath]

It is easier said than done, as the cousin marriage culture in Pakistan is thousands of years old, which even goes back to the pre-Islamic tribal period. Private organizations can raise awareness, but people are afraid to make family ties with unknown or even lower-class people. It is a complex social/cultural issue that is not a matter for the government to solve. Any attempt to do otherwise will fail and will create civil unrest all over Pakistan and that is bad for national security.

i guess your right, i have heard Japan had a similar issue not as bad as Pakistan however because of industrialization and modernisation it died out, so maybe in Pakistan the more progressive the atmosphere becomes for women the better chance we have at reducing cousin marriages, of course this will be more harder to do with the lower class people, but raising awareness is a start

 

[Azad Kashmir]

Iran does not do that for cousin marriages. Iranians do that for STDs like STI tests: HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and Syphilis. Even then, there are briberies to alter the reports.

thanks for correcting.

 

[Azad Kashmir]

Iran does not do that for cousin marriages. Iranians do that for STDs like STI tests: HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and Syphilis. Even then, there are briberies to alter the reports.

i just checked up saudi turkey qatar these countries do the std tests etc aswell.

 

[Old School]

i just checked up saudi turkey qatar these countries do the std tests etc aswell.

Yes, but not on cousin marriages. Only STD which has nothing to do with inbreeding and how many people are subject to the tests are questionable. Your question was on inbreeding issue :

 

[Azad Kashmir]

Yes, but not on cousin marriages. Only STD which has nothing to do with inbreeding and how many people are subject to the tests are questionable. Your question was on inbreeding issue :

View attachment 4388

yh i know.

 

[Dogun18]

yh i know.

Algeria for the most part is pretty tidy when it comes to these things.

 

[Azad Kashmir]

Algeria for the most part is pretty tidy when it comes to these things.

what you mean, can you elaborate?.

 

[Dogun18]

what you mean, can you elaborate?.

Generally Algeria has prostitution legalized but brothels and solicitation are illegal.

 

[Azad Kashmir]

Generally Algeria has prostitution legalized but brothels and solicitation are illegal.

i dont understand because we are talking bout inbreeding.

 

[ThunderCat]

i dont understand because we are talking bout inbreeding.

I think he means Algeria's semi-liberal stance on things. But I don't know if legalizing prostitution is a good idea.

 

[Azad Kashmir]

I think he means Algeria's semi-liberal stance on things. But I don't know if legalizing prostitution is a good idea.

apparently morocco is very bad when it comes to prostitution. while their king lives it very large.

 

[ThunderCat]

apparently morocco is very bad when it comes to prostitution. while their king lives it very large.

I don't think it's a good thing at all.

 

[Deleted due to Error (Muji Iqbal)]

View attachment 4372View attachment 4374

First of all wrong map. Pakistan has a part of Kashmir.

 

[Mkesath]

First of all wrong map. Pakistan has a part of Kashmir.

That wasn't the point of this post

 

[Mkesath]

I made a medium story about this

Cousin Marriages and its effects, what Pakistan can do to prevent it moving forward/…

Hi there, i will start the post by saying that cousin marriages are extremely common in Pakistan, more then anyone in its region. The…

medium.com

 

[Old School]

I made a medium story about this

Cousin Marriages and its effects, what Pakistan can do to prevent it moving forward/…

Hi there, i will start the post by saying that cousin marriages are extremely common in Pakistan, more then anyone in its region. The…

medium.com

You can also add this to your Medium :
[H1]Which US States Allow First Cousins to Get Married?[/H1]

First-cousin marriage remains completely legal in these 17 states: Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont and Virginia. Some states allow first cousins to get married in some specific circumstances. Maine, for instance, allows cousins to wed after they undergo genetic counseling. Other states, such as Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, Utah and Wisconsin, allow it when both individuals seeking to get married reach a certain age, typically at which they would be unlikely to have children.

 

[Mkesath]

You can also add this to your Medium :
[h1]Which US States Allow First Cousins to Get Married?[/h1]
View attachment 5116

First-cousin marriage remains completely legal in these 17 states: Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont and Virginia. Some states allow first cousins to get married in some specific circumstances. Maine, for instance, allows cousins to wed after they undergo genetic counseling. Other states, such as Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, Utah and Wisconsin, allow it when both individuals seeking to get married reach a certain age, typically at which they would be unlikely to have children.

i would but it doesnt relate to pakistan as much i think

 

[Old School]

i would but it doesnt relate to pakistan as much i think

Ok. All law advocates use the precedence of other countries to show logical relevance. Many people believe that cousin marriage is universally legal, which is not true.

 

[Mkesath]

Ok. All law advocates use the precedence of other countries to show logical relevance. Many people believe that cousin marriage is universally legal, which is not true.

oh i see your point now, i will add it to it

 

[Old School]

oh i see your point now, i will add it to it

It will be interesting to know how many of our forum members are married to their cousins. lol

 

[Mkesath]

It will be interesting to know how many of our forum members are married to their cousins. lol

haha well my parents aren't

 

[Old School]

haha well my parents aren't

As far as I know, our family has never allowed it for generations. I do not know of any example.

 

[Mkesath]

As far as I know, our family has never allowed it for generations. I do not know of any example.

my parents on my fathers side and my mothers side arent cousins either, dont know past that but i know it happens where my mothers parents live tho, sadly kind of common although now their daughters are marrying out,

 

[TheNewb77]

We've featured your article, @Mkesath, and moved it to the Featured Article Section.

 

[Mkesath]

Cousin Marriages and its effects, what Pakistan can do to prevent it moving forward/…

Hi there, i will start the post by saying that cousin marriages are extremely common in Pakistan, more then anyone in its region. The…

medium.com

I have updated it, this medium has turned out to be better than i expected

 

[MuHayMin]

Damn those statistics are embarrassing.

View attachment 4372View attachment 4374

[h1]Cousin Marriages and its effects, what Pakistan can do to prevent it moving forward.[/h1]
Hi there, i will start the post by saying that cousin marriages are extremely common in Pakistan, more then anyone in its region. The affect these marriages have can be genetical as well as making the atmosphere of the country less capable of being progressive as it restricts free choice of spouses.

Starting of with the genetic side affects these marriages have

• being married to your cousin significantly increases the risk of congenital anomalies (birth defects), as outlined in The Lancet in July 2013. Cousin marriage increases the risks of birth defects from 3% to 6%.

How it affects the societies of Pakistan and why it is bad

• In Pakistan these cousin marriages are not about love but rather them having to get married for the sake of it. A girls parent most of the time forces her daughter to get married to their cousins. This mentality is very disastrous for the society as a whole and women freedom.
• it is promoted and seen as acceptable by uneducated religious zealots who don't know any better because it is not prohibited in Islam, fast food in unhealthy and not prohibited in Islam either, does that mean we should eat fast food all the time.
• Now one of cousin marriages may be fine in the situation however, the situation is that most of these marriages are not one of and there going through generations of consanguineous marriages.

It's been proven though that marriage among first cousins has an 8% chance of a birth defect and that risk only gets higher if those offspring continue to marry their first cousins which is the case in Pakistan.

Now according to Islam

Imam shafi says its disliked because it produces weak and mentally retarded children:

"There is not a group of people who do not bring forth their women to marry men other than their own men, nor do their men go forth to marry women other than their own, except their children will be fools (i.e. born with a mental defect)" [Adaab ash-Shaafi'ee wa Manaaqibuhu (pg. 99)
Source: al-Talkhīṣ al-Ḥabīr 1371

Holy Prophet (saw) said, "Don't marry a near relative (such as a first cousin) as it results in a defective or weak child that is born" 12

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) married out his blood line to Khadijah which grants further genetic diversity.

Al-Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

She should not be a close relative, because that reduces desire… End quote from Ihya' 'Ulum ad-Din (2/41).

Ibn Abi Mulaykah reported: Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said to the house of Al-Sa'ib, "You have become frail, so marry intelligent people unrelated to you."

Imam Shafi and Imam Ahmad, the two leading scholars of the Sunni school of thought dislike cousin marriage and have declared it as makruh. Similarly, some other scholars like Imam Ghazali have also discouraged cousin marriage

Imam al-Maawardi (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: "They (i.e. the Arab) used to choose or the likes of this situation marrying those who are distantly related and are strangers (to each other). They saw that this is more conducive for childbirth and excellent for the creation (of a newborn). They used to avoid marrying family and relatives. They saw that it was harmful for the creation of the child and its birth" End translation. [Adab ad-Dunya wad-Deen (pg. 173)]

In summary, even though Islam does not prohibit cousin marriages, it is still disliked and discouraged. Anything harmful is for a child will always be prohibited in Islam.

Another reason to avoid "possible conflict" within the 2 families, if you marry your cousin and then get a divorce, big drama might happen between the 2 families and if you marry someone who isn't a cousin/relative then no drama is going to take place.

Islam always teaches us that prevention is better than cure.

Now a solution for this is to spread awareness about this in Pakistan, about what Islam says, how according to Islam women should have the choice to marry their own spouses and not be forced with a cousin, this inherently will reduce the cousin marriages, also strict laws and policies should be put in place which prohibits cousin marriages or blood related marriages. The government should take action and build a more progressive environment for women for a better future. We as ordinary Pakistanis should help raise awareness, try to stop others from carrying on this disastrous practice and spread the word.

Thanks for reading

 

[Malang (Deleted)]

Pakistan should follow the one child policy of China and impose fine on cousin marriage.

First cousin fine = 100,000 rupees
Second cousin fine = 50,000 rupees
Third Child fine = 25,000 rupees
Fourth child fine = 400,000 rupees

 

[MuHayMin]

Pakistan should follow the one child policy of China and impose fine on cousin marriage.

First cousin fine = 100,000 rupees
Second cousin fine = 50,000 rupees
Third Child fine = 25,000 rupees
Fourth child fine = 400,000 rupees

Pakistan should follow the one child policy of China and impose fine on cousin marriage.

First cousin fine = 100,000

To do this, the government first needs to atleast recognise this as an issue.

 

[MuHayMin]

this isnt a bad article, it has over 1k claps, you should try copy and pasting it all on a word doc and emailing various news outlets in pakistan to publish this, for say dawn and expresstribune.pk

 

[Egyptian]

Pakistan should follow the one child policy of China and impose fine on cousin marriage.

First cousin fine = 100,000 rupees
Second cousin fine = 50,000 rupees
Third Child fine = 25,000 rupees
Fourth child fine = 400,000 rupees

Quran 17:31

"Do not kill your children for fear of poverty. We provide for them and for you. Surely killing them is a heinous sin.".

 

[MuHayMin]

Quran 17:31

"Do not kill your children for fear of poverty. We provide for them and for you. Surely killing them is a heinous sin.".

Brother this not about poverty but inbreeding which our county has a huge issue with.

 

[Old School]

Brother this not about poverty but inbreeding which our county has a huge issue with.

How many people in Pakistan are products of cousin marriage? What is the estimated percentage?

 

[MuHayMin]

How many people in Pakistan are products of cousin marriage? What is the estimated percentage?

Last time I checked it was between 49% to 62% give or take. So pretty high. I believe the recorded estimate goes up till 2022 and we are placed as the number one most inbred nation with the stats just mentioned.

 

[Old School]

Last time I checked it was between 49% to 62% give or take. So pretty high. I believe the recorded estimate goes up till 2022 and we are placed as the number one most inbred nation with the stats just mentioned.

So, the chance is very high that they are present in Pakistani online forums, including ours !!

 

[Egyptian]

Who is talking about killing children?

I am talking about awareness and mass education to discourage cousin marriage. I don’t know how people cousin marriage. They consider them as sisters for the first 25 years of their life and then suddenly knock the door as husband to do jiggi jiggi.

Cousin marriage should be allowed under exceptional circumstances just because it is not forbidden in Islam but if it is scientifically proven that it leads to many genetic disorders, then why risk your future generations with disability.

Dude, you particularly stated 'we need a one child policy' - that indirectly advocates for murder. Do not TWIST words!

 

[ThunderCat]

I'm okay with cousin marriages- provided no children are ever conceived. Cousin couples should be free to adopt children under certain conditions but never conceive.

 

[MuHayMin]

Dude, you particularly stated 'we need a one child policy' - that indirectly advocates for murder. Do not TWIST words!

No he said similar to it. Meaning a prohibition on cousin marriages as a whole which is ideal.

 

[MuHayMin]

I'm okay with cousin marriages- provided no children are ever conceived. Cousin couples should be free to adopt children under certain conditions but never conceive.

It should be outright discouraged and I am seeing more and more awareness so that is good. Keep it up!

 

[ThunderCat]

It should be outright discouraged and I am seeing more and more awareness so that is good. Keep it up!

I agree it should be discouraged outright. However if cousins which to marry as per their own personnel choice, they can be granted a conditional marriage with restrictions.

But by no means should it be encouraged.

 

[TheNewb77]

Not much has changed.