If a girl lives with her cousins, does that prevent one of them from marrying her?
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Fatwa number ( 13768 )
Q: My cousin—my father’s sister’s daughter, from both parents—was an orphan of both parents from the tenderest age. She lost her mother before she reached the age of three. After that, she moved to live with her father’s sister and her caretaker for a period. Then, after my father married my mother, she moved to live with him and his family. At that time, she was about four to five years old. She lived with us in our home and slept in the same room as my family. She helped my mother raise her children, including me, and my sisters and I came to consider her our sister. My mother never breastfed her at all. Later, my father married another woman who bore him sons and daughters. She also helped their mother raise them, and they came to consider her their sister as well. She lived with my father and his family for approximately 12 to 15 years. She then married a man and bore him sons and daughters (one daughter who survived). She is now of marriageable age.
Since her feeling, and the feeling of all her cousins, is one of brotherhood, she accepts us as a sister accepts her brother, and we do the same. There is no breastfeeding between us, neither from the first group nor the second; it is merely that she lived and was raised with us in our father’s home, and we feel she is like a sister. I ask you to issue a ruling on this matter: Is it permissible to kiss her, or for her to kiss us? This is the first point. Second, is her daughter considered a stranger to me, such that she is not allowed to uncover her face before me, or is that permissible? And is it permissible for any of us, me or my brothers, to propose to her if she is not a mahram to any of us?
A: First: The mere fact that your cousin was raised and lived with you in your home does not make you among her mahrams. Therefore, it is forbidden for you to kiss her, shake hands with her, or be alone with her. You must repent for what occurred due to your ignorance. Second: If the matter is as you described, it is permissible for you and your brothers to propose to her. Your cohabitation in childhood has no effect on this proposal or on marrying her. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: My cousin—my father’s sister’s daughter, from both parents—was an orphan of both parents from the tenderest age. She lost her mother before she reached the age of three. After that, she moved to live with her father’s sister and her caretaker for a period. Then, after my father married my mother, she moved to live with him and his family. At that time, she was about four to five years old. She lived with us in our home and slept in the same room as my family. She helped my mother raise her children, including me, and my sisters and I came to consider her our sister. My mother never breastfed her at all. Later, my father married another woman who bore him sons and daughters. She also helped their mother raise them, and they came to consider her their sister as well. She lived with my father and his family for approximately 12 to 15 years. She then married a man and bore him sons and daughters (one daughter who survived). She is now of marriageable age.
Since her feeling, and the feeling of all her cousins, is one of brotherhood, she accepts us as a sister accepts her brother, and we do the same. There is no breastfeeding between us, neither from the first group nor the second; it is merely that she lived and was raised with us in our father’s home, and we feel she is like a sister. I ask you to issue a ruling on this matter: Is it permissible to kiss her, or for her to kiss us? This is the first point. Second, is her daughter considered a stranger to me, such that she is not allowed to uncover her face before me, or is that permissible? And is it permissible for any of us, me or my brothers, to propose to her if she is not a mahram to any of us?
A: First: The mere fact that your cousin was raised and lived with you in your home does not make you among her mahrams. Therefore, it is forbidden for you to kiss her, shake hands with her, or be alone with her. You must repent for what occurred due to your ignorance. Second: If the matter is as you described, it is permissible for you and your brothers to propose to her. Your cohabitation in childhood has no effect on this proposal or on marrying her. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.