Skye I live in a region in America where incest is an epidemic problem. It is either cousin relationships or in some cases sexual relations between parents and children or aunts/uncles and nieces/nephews. Do a google search on Appalachia and incest and see what you come up with. Usually if incest has not occured in the family and it is a lateral relationship the offspring will usually not suffer. But the problem is when it is happening generation after generation and the reccessive genes become dominate. I see people almost everyday who are to some degree mentally ill or mentally retarded and have the facial features ones sees on inbred people such as a flat forehead. These people also suffer from numerous physical health problems as well. This happened due to the geographic isolation of the area when all one had to marry was a cousin. Childhood sexual abuse/incest are also a problem. My husband used to work at a local crisis center and the nature of alot of his calls were surviviors of incest or those conceived of incest. while an isolated cousin marriage may produce little or no adverse affects on the children, if it keeps happening it will affect the offspring.
again, you fail to define incest, I believe I have covered it well above.. Incest is a CARDINAL SIN
see here:
Name of Questioner
Nur - Malaysia
Title
Incest: Islamic View
Question
As-salamu `alaykum. My name is faezah. I would like to know the Islamic point of view on incest. In Malaysia, incest is now rampant and the laws are not sufficient in curbing this heinous crime. Do you have any recommendation on how to curb this crime?
Date
08/Mar/2007
Name of Mufti
Topic
Adultery & Fornication
Answer
Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Dear sister in Islam, we would like to thank you for the great confidence you place in us, and we implore Allah Almighty to help us serve His cause and render our work for His Sake.
No doubt zina (adultery or fornication) is one of the gravest sins that incur Allah’s severest punishment on the Day of Judgment. Allah Almighty says, (And come not near unto adultery. Lo! it is an abomination and an evil way.) (Al-Israa’ 17: 32)
The sin becomes heinous when it comes to committing incest. It is the most serious offense and enormity in the Sight of Allah, the Almighty.
Therefore, a true Muslim should steer clear of any temptations that might drag him into disobeying Allah. If one is, however, overwhelmed by Satanic temptations, then he should hasten to forward sincere repentance to Allah. After that he should strive hard to do as many righteous deeds as he can, recite the Glorious Qur’an over and again, attending religious lectures and keep accompanying those who will help him remember Allah and the Day of Judgment. Allah Almighty says: (And those who cry not unto any other god along with Allah, nor take the life which Allah hath forbidden save in (course of) justice, nor commit adultery and whoso doeth this shall pay the penalty. The doom will be doubled for him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein disdained for ever. Save him who repenteth and believeth and doth righteous work; as for such, Allah will change their evil deeds to good deeds. Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.) (Al-Furqan 25: 68-70)
To curb this heinous crime if it is rampant in a society, the basic procedures should start with Islamic education by warning against the enormity of this sin and its evil consequences in the Hereafter in addition to the negative social and psychological consequences. We should follow the Islamic teachings which require taking the necessary cautions in the relations between the opposite sexes even if they are mahram (unmarriageable relatives) as long as temptation is feared. For instance, Islam orders the parents to separate their children in beds when they reach the age of discretion. `Amr ibn Shu`ayb narrated from his father on the authority of his grandfather that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Order your children to pray at the age of seven, hit them to do so at the age of ten, and separate them (the boys from the girls) in their beds.” (Reported by Ahmad, Abu Dawud and al-Hakim)
Moreover, it is the responsibility of the society to fight against all forms of moral corruption and indecency and ban all means that incite desires and call for immorality.
May Allah guide you to the straight path and direct you to that which pleases Him, Amen.
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/...nglish-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaEAskTheScholar
as well from the same site
Title
Why Is Incestuous Marriage Forbidden?
Question
Respected scholars, as-salamu `alaykum. Could you please shed light on the wisdom behind the prohibition of incestuous marriage in the Islamic Shari`ah? Jazakum Allahu khayran.
Date
11/Mar/2007
Name of Counsellor
Topic
Marriage
Answer
Wa`alaykum as-salamu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Brother, thanks for your question.
Incestuous relations are totally against the natural instinct of human beings. The relationship between close relatives should be based on respect, love, and kindness. Incestuous marriage is instinctively abhorrent to people of sound nature and is detrimental to the fabric of the family, which is the basis of society.
The eminent Muslim scholar Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi wrote about this matter in his well-known book, The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam:
It is permanently haram for a Muslim man to marry a woman who belongs to one of the following categories:
1. The father's wife, whether divorced or widowed. During the period of jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic era of Ignorance) such marriages were allowed. Then Islam prohibited them, for once a woman is married to a man's father she acquires the status of his mother, and this prohibition is out of honor and respect for the father. Moreover, as this inviolable prohibition leaves no room for sexual attraction between the son and his step-mother, they are able to develop a relationship of respect and honor.
2. The mother, including the grandmothers on both sides.
3. The daughter, including the granddaughters from the son or daughter.
4. The sister, including the half- and step-sisters.
5. The paternal aunt, whether she is the real, half-, or step-sister of the father.
6. The maternal aunt, whether she is the real, half-, or step-sister of the father.
7. The brother's daughter, i.e., his niece.
8. The sister's daughter, i.e., his niece.
All these female blood-relatives are a man's muharramat and he is mahram to his corresponding female relatives. Marriage to any mahram whomsoever is permanently prohibited. The reasons for this prohibition are as follows.
a. Entertaining any sexual thoughts concerning such close relatives as one's mother, sister, and daughter is instinctively abhorrent to human nature; there are even certain animals which avoid mating with such closely-related animals. The respect a man feels for his aunts is like the respect he has for his mother, and likewise uncles are regarded as fathers.
b. Since the family must live together in intimacy and privacy but without incestuous relations, the Shari`ah intends to cut at the roots of any sexual attraction among such close relatives.
c. Since there is natural love and affection among such close blood relatives, the intent of the Shari`ah is to expand the circle of love and kinship by prohibiting incest and thereby directing the man's search for women outside the family. Thus each marriage extends the sphere of love, bringing new people within this ever-expanding network of affection: [And He has put love and mercy between you] (Ar-Rum 30:21).
d. The natural sentiments of love and affection between a man and the above-mentioned female relatives must be kept strong forever. If marriage were permitted between such relatives, it would cause jealousies, dissensions, and the disruption of families, destroying the very sentiments of love and affection which give cohesiveness and permanence to the family structure.
e. The offspring of marriages to such close blood relatives would most probably be defective and weak. Moreover, if physical or mental defects are present in the members of a family, they would become more pronounced among the children of such marriages.
f. The woman needs someone to champion her rights and support her case against her husband, especially when relations between the two of them become strained. If those women who could defend her became rivals, how would this be possible?
marriage between cousins, doesn't fall into that category, I am neither condoning nor condemning it, but you need to delineate your understanding of the terms. Your mere observation of an event in your small town doesn't necessarily denote it is a direct result of cousins marrying vs the same event happening in the general population (see above abstract) & You shouldn't make that a comparison to that of inbred children.. I think your understanding and this other fellow's is slightly skewed on the matter!
all the best
