Re: Sitting too close with cousins
Like I said earlier, even if there was no prior history with this specific cousin or any cousin for that matter…he should still stop being so touch feely with his cousins if it makes wife uneasy.
From an Islamic perspective, her objection would be justified each time he unnecessarily touches any female whether it is this cousin or another or someone unrelated…and ideally that should trump family norms.
One can still maintain a good rapport with their cousins without touching them. It doesn’t matter that the husband says he would be totally okay with his wife being close with male cousins because he “knows” her. I don’t care for that argument. It’s like saying I’m okay with something and therefore you …as a rule…should be okay with it too. It doesn’t always work that way. It is such a small thing to give up. Why turn it into an ego issue and persist in hurting your spouse…what do you get from that? You may see these cousins sporadically throughout the year…and you’d put them before the comfort of the person live and share your life with…how sad is that. 