Answer
✅ Answer: In verse 23 of Surah An-Nisa, marriage with individuals such as mother, daughter, sister, paternal aunt, maternal aunt, niece, foster mother, foster sister, mother-in-law, stepdaughter, and daughter-in-law is prohibited, and further details of prohibited cases are found in narrations and interpretations of this verse and others.
Apart from the cases explicitly prohibited in the Quran and narrations, there is no specific prohibition, disapproval, or discouragement of consanguineous marriage due to familial ties in authentic Shia narrations. In fact, some narrations suggest it is desirable or at least not disapproved. For example:
1 أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ حَدَّثَنِي مُوسَى قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ : لَا خَيْلَ أَبْقَی مِنَ الدُّهْمِ وَ لَا امْرَأَةَ كَابْنَةِ الْعَمِ
📚 Al-Ja’fariyat, p. 90
Amir al-Mu’minin (peace be upon him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said: No horse is more enduring than a black horse, and no woman is like a cousin!
2 قَالَ عَلِیُّ بْنُ الْحُسَیْنِ سَیِّدُ الْعَابِدِینَ علیه السلام مَنْ تَزَوَّجَ لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ لِصِلَةِ الرَّحِمِ تَوَّجَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَی بِتَاجِ الْمُلْکِ وَ الْکَرَامَةِ
📚 Al-Faqih, Vol. 3, p. 385
Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him) said: Whoever marries for the sake of Allah and to maintain family ties, Allah will place a crown of sovereignty and honor on their head!
3 قَالَ: وَ نَظَرَ النَّبِیُّ إِلَی أَوْلَادِ عَلِیٍّ وَ جَعْفَرٍ فَقَالَ بَنَاتُنَا لِبَنِینَا وَ بَنُونَا لِبَنَاتِنَا.
📚 Al-Faqih, Vol. 3, p. 393
Shaykh Saduq narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) looked at the children of Ali and Ja’far and said: Our daughters are for our sons, and our sons are for our daughters!
✅ In contrast, some opponents of consanguineous marriage cite two general narrations from Sunni sources and dictionaries, claiming the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) recommended marrying strangers to avoid weak or frail offspring. These Sunni narrations are not authoritative for us, nor is there any supporting evidence for them in the Quran or Shia narrations, and they cannot serve as a jurisprudential basis for medical professionals to prohibit consanguineous marriage.
✅ Therefore, while there is no clear encouragement for consanguineous marriage in Shia narrations, there is also no prohibition. Those who consider it undesirable for any reason should not attribute their opinion to authentic narrations or Shia jurisprudence.
✅ There are notable instances of consanguineous marriages among the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) and their companions in historical accounts and narrations, the most prominent being the marriage of Amir al-Mu’minin (peace be upon him) to Fatimah Zahra (peace be upon her), which resulted in children with no conceivable flaws.
✅ It is surprising that some people today write and argue that consanguineous marriage is harmful and prohibited, citing two general narrations from sources like Ibn Athir’s Sunni dictionary Al-Nihayah!!! They present these while giving little importance to critical factors that significantly impact the physical and mental health of offspring and help prevent many defects!
✅ O Shia! Do you know how important it is to seek refuge in Allah, say Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim, and recite specific supplications before and during intercourse?!
✅ Do you know how much the choice of timing for intercourse affects the physical and mental health of the offspring?!
✅ Are you aware of the times when intercourse is prohibited according to narrations and the severe consequences of disregarding them?!
✅ Do you know, from the perspective of narrations, how much the type and lawfulness of the parents’ food before intercourse affect the offspring?!
✅ Do you know, from the perspective of narrations, how much the quantity, quality, and type of the mother’s nutrition during pregnancy affect the offspring’s health?!
✅ Do you know, from the perspective of narrations, how much certain precautions and etiquettes during pregnancy impact the physical and mental health of the offspring?!
✅ Unfortunately, some, instead of writing and disseminating articles based on narrations about these highly important matters, are preoccupied with writing articles prohibiting consanguineous marriage, which is divinely permissible!
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَجِّلْ لِوَلِیِّکَ الْفَرَجَ وَ الْعَافِیَةَ وَ النَّصْر
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Recommended acts for the night of mid-Sha’ban
O Allah, hasten the relief, well-being, and victory of Your vicegerent