Is it a sunnah/recommendation to marry ones cousin or is the reverse true – marry from afar to produce strong progeny?
It is not a sunnah or a recommendation to marry one’s cousin nor is the reverse true;to marry from afar to produce strong progeny. This whole question is left to the social customs or norms. I am told by a Muslim scholar from a traditional-tribal society that the cousin has the social right upon his female cousin and that she is not to be offered to him first. No one may propose to her until he has expressed his wish not to marry her. In a way, within the Arab, particularly tribal societies, they consider marrying within the family, more honourable, more protective; keeping lineage pure and well established. However, there is a statement which is attributed mistakenly to the Messenger of Allah, “Marry from outside the family, otherwise your offspring will be weak.” In fact this, or something similar, is correctly attributed to Umar ibn Al-Khattab saying to the family of As-Saib, “Your offspring are becoming so thin and weak. Marry outside your close of kin.” In discouraging this marria
