(asked from Dubai, UAE) Can a Muslim man marry his cousin? Is it recommended or discouraged in Islam?

Marrying a cousin is permissible in Islam, since the Quran only lists specific blood relatives as forbidden for marriage in Surah An-Nisa (4:23), and first cousins are clearly not included in that list. However, this permission should not be confused with recommendation, because nowhere in the Quran or Sunnah did the Prophet ﷺ encourage cousin marriage as a preferred or spiritually superior choice over marrying outside the family. Many scholars today actually advise caution here, not for religious reasons but due to genuine medical concerns, since repeated marriage within close family lines over generations has been linked to higher risks of certain genetic conditions in children. This practice became culturally common in many Muslim societies for reasons tied to family wealth, trust, and tradition, rather than anything rooted directly in Islamic teaching itself. What truly matters in Islam is choosing a spouse based on deen and character, whether that person happens to be a cousin or a complete stranger. Allah knows best.

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