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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]OP here: cousin marrying is not forbidden in our holy book. But science has proven that it may create genetic mutations (Ashkenazi Jews often married cousins and research showed it resulted in mutations causing an increased risk of breast cancer). New research shows however that the increased Risk is only equivalent to that of women having children when they are over 40. But who really can say for sure? It is clear that it's best to avoid concentrating the gene pool and dilute it. But Muslim counties place greater importance on their holy book than scientific revelations and feel that if the Quran doesn't forbid it, it can never cause harm.[/quote]

That doesn't answer my question.  I should have added, "Why would you marry such a close family member by blood?"  It sounds like 200-300 years ago, when the royals married their own siblings.  [/quote]

Back in the early days of Islam, marrying your cousin was a good way to solidify tribal and other alliances. So yes, a lot in common with European royalty.[/quote]

Yes, but it is no longer the good old days.  It's been more than [u]800 years[/u] since Islam began!  The problem is that it is still too tribal - among other religions.  [/quote]

OP here: The holy book, the Quran, is considered timeless. So what was permissible or even recommended under circumstances back in the time the Quran was revealed is still permissible or possibly recommended today. I don't think marrying cousins is not the same as marrying siblings. This is a 2002 article but recent research also shows puts the risk into perspective: http://www.usatoday.com/news/science/2002-04-04-cousins.htm  
And this wikipedia article shows a map that indicates at least a dozen states still permit cousin marriages even in the U.S.  In the time when the Quran was revealed and even today among Muslims, marrying cousins is often done for economic reasons - to keep wealth in the family.

I don't think cousin marriages are a good idea but these are the reasons why they occur.

Muslim countries are not as progressive and forward thinking in some ways as western countries so it should be understandable why Muslims still marry close family members. Muslims, especially those living in Muslim countries, place great importance on the Quran and deem it to be the literal word of God. So their thinking is - why should we avoid that which the Quran has clearly made permissible? 
I hope that answers your question. [/quote]

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