Can you acknowledge that you were wrong and Islam was right on cousin marriages?

[Piculet]

(the 'you' on the title is in plural)

The Surprising Truth About Cousins and Marriage

Any abnormalities in children from first cousin marriages is as likely to occur as any abnormalities in children who are born to a 40-year-old mother (compared to a 30-year-old.

 

[Rival]

This is common knowledge. Women are generally aware that having kids in their 20s is optimal. It doesn't make Islam anymore right here about anything. It means cousins should stop marrying each other.

I wonder if you are here to do anything other than tell us how Islam is right about X Y and Z.

 

[ChristineM]

(the 'you' on the title is in plural)

The Surprising Truth About Cousins and Marriage

Any abnormalities in children from first cousin marriages is as likely to occur as any abnormalities in children who are born to a 40-year-old mother (compared to a 30-year-old.

As a mother who had children late and was rightly very worried about abnormalities i need to say. You think its right that late teens, twenties should have such worries, you think its ok for teens/twenties to give birth to children with abnormalities when there is an alternative?

 

[exchemist]

This is common knowledge. Women are generally aware that having kids in their 20s is optimal. It doesn't make Islam anymore right here about anything. It means cousins should stop marrying each other.

I wonder if you are here to do anything other than tell us how Islam is right about X Y and Z.

I find you harsh.

He's also here to tell us how wrong Christianity is.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

(the 'you' on the title is in plural)

The Surprising Truth About Cousins and Marriage

Any abnormalities in children from first cousin marriages is as likely to occur as any abnormalities in children who are born to a 40-year-old mother (compared to a 30-year-old.

Salaam,

First of all, kudos for knowing about Today I Found Out - I've enjoyed being on its mailing list for quite some time.

Secondly, thanks for raising the topic. See, also, Wikipedia: Cousin Marriage.

Finally, I have no problem with Islam being "right" * on this question. They appear to be in good company.

L'shalom.

* but see post #11 below.

 

[Piculet]

This is common knowledge. Women are generally aware that having kids in their 20s is optimal. It doesn't make Islam anymore right here about anything. It means cousins should stop marrying each other.

I wonder if you are here to do anything other than tell us how Islam is right about X Y and Z.

No, I'm here to ask if you can acknowledge Islam was right about cousin marriage — not XY&Z. Clearly you cannot.

 

[Piculet]

I find you harsh.

He's also here to tell us how wrong Christianity is.

Your view of it at least.

 

[Piculet]

As a mother who had children late and was rightly very worried about abnormalities i need to say. You think its right that late teens, twenties should have such worries, you think its ok for teens/twenties to give birth to children with abnormalities when there is an alternative?

What alternative?

 

[HonestJoe]

I'm not sure this is specifically relevant to Islam but is a wider cultural practice (like a lot of things attributed to Islam, good or bad). I certainly don't see any positive motivation behind complicating what is already a controversial and emotive issue with additional religious conflict.

Any abnormalities in children from first cousin marriages is as likely to occur as any abnormalities in children who are born to a 40-year-old mother (compared to a 30-year-old.

That is probably true, though it doesn't take account of the impacts if the practice continues through multiple generations, compounding the risks.

Regardless, all this does is establish the practice isn't as bad as some people might imagine it to be. That doesn't mean it should be actively promoted or encouraged.

 

[Rival]

No, I'm here to ask if you can acknowledge Islam was right about cousin marriage — not XY&Z. Clearly you cannot.

I didn't mean to insult or offend you; it just seems that many of your posts seem to be trying to tell us all how much better Islam is than other religions; how other religions are faulty or wrong.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

No, I'm here to ask if you can acknowledge Islam was right about cousin marriage — not XY&Z. Clearly you cannot.

But what do you mean about being right? So, for example, Susan Becker and Zohair Al Halees write in First-Cousin Matings and Congenital Heart Disease in Saudi Arabia; Community Genetics, Vol. 2, No. 2//3 (1999):

International studies have shown a significantly higher incidence of major congenital malformations in offspring of consanguineous parents . One study reports that the risk of malformations among the offspring of consanguineous marriage are approximately 2.0–2.5 times higher than in the offspring of unrelated parents while another study estimates an increased risk of 5–8% in first-cousin marriages . Malformations that are structural in nature have been reported as more common in consanguineous matings . A recent epidemiological study reports that a large proportion of stillbirths and infant deaths is attributable to high frequencies of consanguinity in certain populations, particularly among first-cousin parents .​

Let me ask you two different questions:

1. Should consanguineous marriage be allowed?
2. Should consanguineous marriage be encouraged?

 

[Quintessence]

Just to point out something that should be obvious - getting married doesn't mean one becomes a breeder. So if the argument for/against cousin marriages is because of birth defects, well... childless marriages are a thing. As is adoption.

 

[Rival]

Just to point out something that should be obvious - getting married doesn't mean one becomes a breeder. So if the argument for/against cousin marriages is because of birth defects, well... childless marriages are a thing. As is adoption.

This is true, but in an Abrahamic context as appears to be the context of the thread, these believers do tend to have a lot of children; and Muslims are especially known for having many children. I suppose one could also make the argument that disallowing near-kin marriages is a safeguard, even if no children are planned; unless one is completely sterile it always can happen that a child will be made.

 

[icehorse]

(the 'you' on the title is in plural)

The Surprising Truth About Cousins and Marriage

Any abnormalities in children from first cousin marriages is as likely to occur as any abnormalities in children who are born to a 40-year-old mother (compared to a 30-year-old.

All the major religions make numerous claims about how the world should operate. Statistically speaking, they're all bound to be correct some percentage of the time.

 

[Aupmanyav]

"Can you acknowledge that you were wrong and Islam was right on cousin marriages?":
What Muslims do is their business, but for Hindus even a second cousin marriage is against Hindu law. Normally there should be a three generation difference between the boy and the girl. Some communities go even beyond that, i.e., marriage will not take place if the genealogy (Gotra) is the same.

Hindus are very particular about 'Gotra'. For example, two Ramawats (descendants of some Ram Singh however far removed) will not be married because they are considered to have a brother / sister relationship.

In the case of my community, I am supposed to be an Aupmanyav (descendant of Sage Upamanyu of Vedas and Bhagawat Purana - 3,000 years ago). It would not have been correct for me to marry a girl who also is an Aupmanyav (same descent). Her relation to me would be that of a sister.

 

[stvdv]

(the 'you' on the title is in plural)

The Surprising Truth About Cousins and Marriage

Any abnormalities in children from first cousin marriages is as likely to occur as any abnormalities in children who are born to a 40-year-old mother (compared to a 30-year-old.

Can you acknowledge that you were wrong and Islam was right on cousin marriages?

IMO:
I have never had issues, problems or even judgmental thoughts about "cousin marriages". So, I was not wrong at all.

If Islam would be as tolerant to "gay marriages" as I am to "cousin marriages", Islam would be closer to "Religion of Peace"

 

[Rational Agnostic]

(the 'you' on the title is in plural)

The Surprising Truth About Cousins and Marriage

Any abnormalities in children from first cousin marriages is as likely to occur as any abnormalities in children who are born to a 40-year-old mother (compared to a 30-year-old.

No, I'm not wrong because I've always supported cousin marriages. Just because Islam is right about one thing doesn't negate the fact that they're wrong about just about everything else.

 

[Rational Agnostic]

This is common knowledge. Women are generally aware that having kids in their 20s is optimal. It doesn't make Islam anymore right here about anything. It means cousins should stop marrying each other.

I wonder if you are here to do anything other than tell us how Islam is right about X Y and Z.

Should women be banned from having children after age 30? I don't think so. In the same way, cousin marriages should not be banned.

 

[Rival]

Should women be banned from having children after age 30? I don't think so. In the same way, cousin marriages should not be banned.

Should a brother and sister be allowed to marry? I don't think so. Cousins are allowed to marry in my country, and they can, but they, like women 35+ or so, should know the risks. I would certainly not encourage either. Biology is against both and it's their call, essentially.

 

[Vinayaka]

"Can you acknowledge that you were wrong and Islam was right on cousin marriages?":
What Muslims do is their business, but for Hindus even a second cousin marriage is against Hindu law. Normally there should be a three generation difference between the boy and the girl. Some communities go even beyond that, i.e., marriage will not take place if the genealogy (Gotra) is the same.

Hindus are very particular about 'Gotra'. For example, two Ramawats (descendants of some Ram Singh however far removed) will not be married because they are considered to have a brother / sister relationship.

In the case of my community, I am supposed to be an Aupmanyav (descendant of Sage Upamanyu of Vedas and Bhagawat Purana - 3,000 years ago). It would not have been correct for me to marry a girl who also is an Aupmanyav (same descent). Her relation to me would be that of a sister.

Maybe in the north, but not in the south. I personally know several cousin marriages. It's rather common.

Parallel Cousin Marriages in Madras, Tamil Nadu: New Trends in Dravidian Kinship - PubMed