How Advisable is Marriage Between Relatives?

Marriage is a means of establishing new relationships, and expanding the sphere of connections within the community. However, marriage between relatives does not contribute to establishing new relationships as is the case in marriage to non-relatives. So, it is better for a Muslim woman to marry a non-relative if there is a potential husband who possesses the specifications that pleases her and her guardians.

In many cases, to marry a non-relative is necessary if there are no relatives available, who have the characteristics of the Muslim husband that are stipulated by Islam, with respect to piety, a good reputation, and a healthy body, soul and mind; or if there is such a man but the woman or her guardians did not accept him. Getting married to non-relatives provides the woman with a wider field of establishing connections, as a result of exposure to an environment and community other than the one she was brought up with.

Moreover, marriage between relatives might lead to weak offspring due to the accumulation of negative hereditary characteristics. It may be this factor which prompted ‘Umar bin Al-Khattaab, may Allah be pleased with him, to advise the Muslims saying, "Marry from non-relatives lest your (offspring) would be weak."

Of course, this does not mean that marriage to relatives is prohibited or unfavorable, if the suitable conditions are met. Rather, this draws our attention to the danger of preventing marriage to non-relatives, as is prevalent in certain Muslim communities. -islamweb.net