We have a few first cousin marriages in our family, but i'm personally not comfortable with the idea. I'd rather get married out of the family instead of into it, firstly beacuse all my cousins who would be potential grooms are like brothers to me, so when my parents raised this idea a couple of months ago it was a straight up no.
Secondly, my kala and her husband were cousins, their youngest daughter is disabled, and 2 other couples who are cousins are yet to concieve, i think there is probably a link between the marriages and the fertility problems. However on the other hand, two of my cousins are married and mashalla they have a very healthy gorgeous little boy. Islamically its okay, so if youre comfortable with it, kudos i guess.
i admit that there are chances of disable or retarded offsprings but that happens in the families where it has been given as a custom to the people and genertion to generation are bound to follow it. only then, this happen. i myself know such a family where such cases occured in the 3rd generation. but if it is not being followed from parents to parents then it is ok with almost perfect matches
i cannot go completely against it cuz it is allowed in islam....Islam has allowed that option if you really need to use it, however you should try looking outside of familty first.
I have seen few disabeled kids due to cousin marriages. One of kid died after few days of being born due to incomplete organ....they were first cousins.
another family has a 10 year daughter in such bad health ...her every organ is failing (lungs, liver, heart) and doctors do not know what to do with her anymore. She has been literally living in hospital all her life. She just had complete blood transfusion. Her parents are first cousins and parent's parents are also first cousins.