Re: Rate of first-cousin marriages in Pakistan vs Muslim world
It happens in the UK quite a bit...some ppl in small knit communites just don't trust outsiders and/or have old-fashioned views...i've seen it esp. amongst mir puri families...i don't like to judge those who go thru with it...but me personally, i cud never...one reason is cos i wud have been calling the guy "bhai" and that too, not out of respect cos he's older, but just cos in my family we really do think of cousins as our real bro's and sis's...another reason mite be, that i think there wud actually be *more *problems as the families know so much about each other (good n bad)...i once asked my mum y ppl do this in our culture...she told me that back in the old days esp, parents thought that if they sent their daughter to get married to her aunt or uncle's son, then she wud be better taken care of and it wud be like she was still with them...so i get the impression it's more about sentiments and emotions...my cousin got married earlier this yr to her khala's son...i was surprised that someone from our generation in my family, was ok with it...but she's really happy, with him n her khala/in-law's family...sometimes the girl/guy actually feel better about not "being" with a complete stranger after the wedding, and some probably do it for their parents' sake...i cudn't do it, but bless those who can and end up happy.