Yes, a girl can generally marry her mother's cousin in Islam.
Islam permits marriage between cousins and their descendants. The primary condition is that there should be no Mahram relationship. A Mahram is a person with whom marriage is permanently forbidden due to blood relation, marriage, or fosterage (milk kinship).
Defining Mahram Relationships
In Islam, certain relationships are considered Mahram, making marriage between those individuals forbidden. These are usually based on:
- Blood Relation: This includes relationships such as mother, daughter, sister, aunt, and niece.
- Marriage (Affinity): This includes relationships such as mother-in-law, step-daughter (if the marriage to her mother has been consummated), and daughter-in-law.
- Fosterage (Milk Kinship): This is a relationship created when a child is breastfed by a woman who is not their mother. If a person is breastfed by the same woman a specific number of times (usually considered to be three to five or more), that person becomes a milk sibling to the woman's children, and thus ineligible for marriage within that family.
Why Mother's Cousin Marriage is Permissible
A mother's cousin does not fall under any of the Mahram categories. There is no blood relationship that prohibits the marriage, nor does it arise from marriage or fosterage (unless very specific circumstances of breastfeeding apply, which would be rare).
Important Considerations:
- Fosterage: As mentioned, if the girl was breastfed by the mother's cousin's wife (or another woman closely related to the mother's cousin), and the breastfeeding met the requirements to establish milk kinship, then the marriage would be prohibited.
- Cultural Factors: While Islamically permissible, local customs and traditions may influence the acceptance of such a marriage within specific communities. It is important to be mindful of these cultural nuances.
In conclusion, marriage to one's mother's cousin is permissible in Islam as long as no Mahram relationship exists due to blood relation, marriage, or fosterage (milk kinship).
