Culture is a Valid Consideration of Jurisprudence

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

Wahhabis and ignorant Muslims would tell Muslims, especially new converts, to discard their culture.  Culture, ‘urf, is very much a valid consideration in jurisprudence.  It is because of this that Islam has been found in every corner of the world, because this consideration of culture makes it flexible. 

Imam Shihab ad-Din Abu al-‘Abbas Ahmad ibn Abu al-‘Ala’ Idris  al-Qarafi al-Maliki (r.a.) wrote, in al-Ihkam fi Tamyiz al-Fatawa an al-Ahkam wa Taswarrufat al-Qadhi wa al-Imam, “Whenever new customs are introduced take heed of them, and whenever they are no longer practiced disregard them, and do not confine yourself to what is written in the books your entire life.  Rather, if a man from another land came to you seeking fatwa, do not inform him of the customs of the people of your land.  Rather, ask him of the customs of his people and hold him accountable for that, not your customs and what is in your books.  This is evident truth, and forever confining oneself to quotes is deviance in faith and ignorance of the objectives of Muslim scholars and our predecessors.”