Turkey has a high rate of consanguineous marriage (21.1%), indicating strong preference for this traditional form of marital union. Social and cultural factors are especially important in marriages between first and second cousins.
The Prophet (Sallallaahualaihiwasallam) himself is reported to have married his cousin. The practice adopted by religious figures adds a sense of acceptability and also preference to cousin marriages even though there is no legal compulsion behind the same.
This is a common practice globally in many cultures and countries, but it is far more common in Pakistan than in any other country with a high percentage of 55-60% marrying their first cousins. Consanguine marriages are not only common within Pakistan, but also a practice amongst British Pakistani communities.
Cousin marriage occurs more commonly and is customary to varying degrees among people of Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Middle Eastern origin, and also among some groups of Indian origin, Irish travellers, and some refugee populations.
The short answer to the headline question is yes, you can marry your second cousin in Australia. Some people may be surprised that you can marry your first cousin! In fact, it may shock many people that in Australia there are quite a number of your relatives whom it is legal for you to marry.
First cousins have an inbreeding coefficient of 0.0625. Anything at or above 0.0156, the coefficient for second cousins, is considered consanguineous; that includes relationships between people and their nephews and nieces.
In the United States, second cousins are legally allowed to marry in every state. However, marriage between first cousins is legal in only about half of the American states.
Must first cousins be forbidden to marry? In the Bible, and in many parts of the world, the answer is no.
The Middle East has uniquely high rates of cousin marriage among the world's regions. Certain Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia, have rates of marriage to first or second cousins that may exceed 70%. Iraq was estimated in one study to have a rate of 33%.
In Islam, marriages between first cousins are permitted. (Surah Nisa Verse 22-24). Cousin marriage is also permitted in many other religions and civilizations.
Cousin marriage has often been practiced to keep cultural values intact, preserve family wealth, maintain geographic proximity, keep tradition, strengthen family ties, and maintain family structure or a closer relationship between the wife and her in-laws.
There is a general consensus among Sunni and Shia fiqh experts that Surah Al-Baqarah 221 and Surat Al‑Mumtahanah 10 ban Muslim women from marrying non-Muslim men. This consensus is still standing strong. On the other hand, the Quran allows Muslim men to marry non-Muslim women (“People of the Book”).
Turks often marry their first cousins and other close kin, under the incest laws of Islam, to keep control of wealth within the extended family; however, many marriages in Turkey today involve completely unrelated persons.
The number of divorces in Turkey fluctuated, though mosty increased from 2001 to 2022. Over this time period the number of divorces in Turkey has increased from approximately 92 thousand in 2001 to almost 181 thousand in 2022.
In Turkey the rate of consanguineous marriage is 8.5%, the most cases of consanguineous marriage are found in South Eastern and Eastern Anatolia regions of Turkey where the population is mainly Kurdish.
Although some communities do allow marriages between cousins, it is difficult for most to imagine a romantic relationship between first cousins as they are considered siblings. However, there have been cases where romantic feelings creep in inspite of being aware of the complications.
In Europe and North America, cousin marriage used to be pretty common. People like Charles Darwin, Edgar Allan Poe, and Albert Einsteinall married their first cousins. And it's not just in the past. Queen Elizabeth II married her cousin, Prince Philip.
Shah said many families in Pakistan go through with consanguineous marriages because they believe it is called for by their Islamic religion. Even if the government were to make such marriages illegal, it would be met with fierce resistance, he added.
According to experts, cousins are sexually attracted to each other because blood relatives are raised in the same environment. They become so familiar with each other that even if they appreciate one another's physical appearance, there is a feeling of repulsion if they think about having a sexual relationship.
Communities that marry cousins, like Adam and Ruby, have a higher number of one particular group of inherited conditions. These are called recessive disorders which cause a range of serious diseases and disabilities. Examples include Primary Ciliary Dykinesia (PCD), thalassaemia and Tay- Sachs disease.
Your children and your third cousin's children would be fourth cousins. In most cases, your third cousin has a great-grandparent whose sibling is your great-grandparent. Thus, you and your third cousin share a set of great-great-grandparents.
In the western world, marriage between first cousins is labeled incest or inbreeding, and in the United States the practice is banned or restricted in 31 states. But a new essay argues that such laws are based on an outdated notion of the genetic risks involved in cousins marrying and reproducing.
Contrary to widely held beliefs and longstanding taboos in America, first cousins can have children together without a great risk of birth defects or genetic disease, scientists are reporting today.
When parents are blood relatives, there is a higher risk of disease and birth defects, stillbirths, infant mortality and a shorter life expectancy. To have a child with severe diseases and disorders may cause heavy strain for the family in question.