Islam and first cousin marriages

[Crunchy]

I don't know how this is related to Islam; it's cultural in the core and a matter of personal preference.

It's related to Islam because it's occurring in Islamic communities. And it's occurring in Islamic communities because Islam allows it and Muhammed did it and he is to be emulated.

It is a false equivalency to say that a rate of cousin marriages of approximately 1% among the population at large where it is frowned upon is the same as a rate of 50% in the Islamic community where it is often encouraged.