UK: Muslims keep marrying first cousins despite the horrific genetic consequences

In the UK more than 50 per cent of British Pakistanis marry their first cousins – in Bradford that figure is 75 per cent – and across the country the practice is on the rise and also common among East African, Middle-Eastern and Bangladeshi communities.

Today there is no doubt among us that this tragedy occurred because my grandparents were first cousins.
My family is not unique. Back when my grandparents were having children, the medical facts were not established. But today in Britain alone there are more than 70 scientific studies on the subject.
We know the children of first cousins are ten times more likely to be born with recessive genetic disorders which can include infant mortality, deafness and blindness.

We know British Pakistanis constitute 1.5 per cent of the population, yet a third of all children born in this country with rare recessive genetic diseases come from this community.

Despite overwhelming evidence, in the time I spent filming Dispatches: When Cousins Marry, I felt as if I was breaking a taboo rather than addressing a reality. Pakistanis have been marrying cousins for generations. In South Asia the custom keeps family networks close and ensures assets remain in the family. In Britain, the aim can be to strengthen bonds with the subcontinent as cousins from abroad marry British partners.
Some told us they face extreme pressure to marry in this way. One young woman, ‘Zara’, said when she was 16 she was emotionally blackmailed by her husband’s family in Pakistan who threatened suicide over loss of honour should she refuse to marry her cousin.
She relented and lives in a deeply unhappy marriage. But others told me of the great benefits of first cousin marriage – love, support and understanding. To them, questioning it is an attack on the community or, worse, Islam.

At a Pakistani centre in Sheffield, one man said: ‘The community feels targeted, whether that be forced marriages or first-cousin marriages. The community is battening down its hatches, not wanting to engage.’

As a British Pakistani, I am aware of the religious, cultural and racial sensitivities around this issue and understand why people would be on the defensive when questioned about it. At times I was torn between explaining the health risks while privately understanding the community’s sense of being demonized.

It is not about religion or cultural identity. It is about avoidable suffering such at that experienced by Saeeda and Jalil Akhtar, whom I met in Bradford. They are first cousins and have six children, three with the genetic disease mucolipidosis type IV. This stops the body getting rid of waste properly and affects brain functions controlling vision and movement.

Mohsin, their second eldest, is 17 and blind. He wanders aimless and helpless, often crying in frustration. His sisters Hina, 13, and Zainab, 11, have the same condition. They live in almost complete darkness. Saeeda is worn down from years of round-the-clock care. She spoon-feeds them, dresses them and fears for them. Neither she nor her husband can quite accept that their familial link is the cause of this pain.
This is a major public health issue that has huge implications for other services. The cost to the NHS is many millions of pounds.

On average, a children’s hospital will see 20 to 30 recessive gene disorders a decade, but one hospital in Bradford has seen 165, while British Pakistani children are three times more likely to have learning difficulties, with care costing about £75,000 a year per child.

However during this investigation we found no efforts to introduce any national awareness-raising campaign. Why? We approached 16 MPs with a significant number of British Pakistani constituents for interview – every one declined.
A lone voice was Ann Cryer, former Labour MP for Keighley, near Bradford, who said ‘fear of being accused of racism or demonisation’ prevented politicians speaking up.

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MAYBE SOME DAY THEY WILL PASS LAWS TO STOP PEOPLE FROM HAVING SEX WITH FAMILY

MEMBERS.....

He can't help it.....he's just way too horny.....

Well... I double checked & ALL 5 major religions permit marrying first cousins.
However, their are sub groups/ denominations / villages/ clans.
That do not permit it or have restrictions. (Such as double first cousins, & only paternal cousins).


Many US states it is legal.

Yea, it may be condoned, but not many western countries regularly practice it in their religion.

Allah says: “O Prophet! We have made lawful to thee the wives to whom thou hast paid their dowers; and those whom thy right hand possesses out of the captives of war whom Allah has assigned to thee; and daughters of thy paternal uncles and aunts, and daughters of thy maternal uncles and aunts, who migrated with thee; …”

Allah has made marriage with first cousins lawful. There is no dispute about this in Islamic Law.

Or in Arkansas!

True, it is in the Quran.
Personally, I don't have a problem with other people doing it. Here in the USA, it is , ' just something that happens occasionally ' .For myself or my relatives.... no Not for a religious reason, or moral one, but a huge ECK FACTOR

Despite studies, I would be too concerned with the genetics, especially generation after generation.
And I can't understand why it would be promoted or encouraged or arraigned marriages. * Shrugs *

Cousin marriage -
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cousin_marriage/

Cousin marriage is common in the Middle East, for instance, where it accounts for over half of all marriages in some countries.[1] In some countries outside that region, it is uncommon but still legal. In others, it is seen as incestuous and is legally prohibited: it is banned in China and Taiwan, the majority of U.S. states, North Korea, and South Korea.[2] Supporters of cousin marriage where it is banned may view the prohibition as discrimination,[3][4] while opponents may appeal to moral or other arguments.[5] Worldwide, more than 10% of marriages are between first or second cousins.[6]

In the past, cousin marriage was practised
within indigenous cultures in Australia, North America, South America, and Polynesia. Various religions have ranged from prohibiting sixth cousins or closer from marrying, to freely allowing first-cousin marriage. Cousin marriage is an important topic in anthropology and alliance theory.[7]

Children of first-cousin marriages may have an increased risk of genetic disorders, but this can only be estimated empirically, and those estimates are likely to be specific to particular populations in specific environments. Some scientists contend that the risk is relatively small at 5%, compared with a 3% risk for children whose parents are not genetically related.[2][6]


According to Professor Robin Fox of Rutgers University, 80% of all marriages in history may have been between second cousins or closer.[8] The founding population of Homo sapiens was small, 700 to 10,000 individuals; therefore, a certain amount of inbreeding is inevitable.[9] Proportions of first-cousin marriage in Western countries have declined since the 19th century.[10][11] In the Middle East, cousin marriage is still strongly favored.[12][13][14]

Cousin marriage has often been chosen 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. Many such marriages are arranged (see also pages on arranged marriage in the Indian subcontinent, arranged marriages in Pakistan, and arranged marriages in Japan).[6][8][15][16][17]

Youtube has a revealing video on this.

WARNING: Very graphic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsrE-aNlSw0

An excellent example of the consequences of living your life based on revelation rather than investigation