ʿUrf (Arabic: العرف) is an Arabic Islamic term referring to the custom, or 'knowledge', of a given society. To be recognized in an Islamic society, ʿurf must be compatible with Sharia.[1] When applied, it can lead to the deprecation or inoperability of a certain aspect of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence).[1]
ʿUrf is a source of Islamic legal rulings where there are not explicit primary texts of the Qur'an and Sunnah specifying the ruling. ʿUrf can also specify something generally established in the primary texts.