Do different cultures affect marriage? Is there anything in Islam that can support the idea of two Muslim people wanting to share the rest of their lives together, regardless of cultural differences?

Your very first question is an indictment against us as Muslims. Most of us do not practice an Islamic culture. We practice the cultures of our lands which are in most instances the cultures of the days of 'Jahiliya" and kuffar cultures. Many call themselves Muslims, they observe the outward rituals required of them as Muslims but, they hold onto to practices and beliefs which render their rituals to the rubbish heap. How can we sincerely say we are Muslims when we actively go against Allah Ta'ala's commandments and the multiple examples left to us by our beloved Nabi (salallaahu alayhi wa sallam)? Parents not only hurt and harm their children but they destroy their own aagirah too. By going against His commandments, they incur their Creator's wrath because they are puffed up with pride in thinking that their nationality confers a higher status on them. Parents not only choose partners for their children on the basis of nationality, wealth, looks or status, but they also end up forcing their children to get married to individuals whom the young folk do not want to marry. This is very shameful and causes a great deal of trauma to their offspring which can last for a life time.%0D%0A%0D%0AI suggest that you abstain from seeing and encouraging the young lady in anyway. It is better that you both abstain from contacting each other if you know for sure that her parents will not relent. The grief and hurt can be avoided if you take precautions from now. Try to ask mutual friends to approach her parents with a view to obtaining their opinion about the said situation. This will give you an indication as to whether you should then approach them for their daughter's hand in marriage or not.%0D%0A%0D%0APlease read answers to similar questions on our site for further clarification. I enclose an Anecdote (hadith) which should hopefully bring humility into our hearts, insha'allah. May Allah Ta'ala guide you and the parents of all young people, ameen.%0D%0A%0D%0Aand Allah Ta'ala Knows Best%0D%0A%0D%0A1SOCIAL DEPT.%0D%0A%0D%0ACHECKED AND APPROVED: Mufti Ebrahim Desai%0D%0A%0D%0AJOWAIBIR%2F ZALFA%0D%0AMay Allah Ta'ala grant all parents, daughters and sons the Hidayah to follow the teachings of His most excellent creation and open up our hearts. May Allah Ta'ala remove hypocricy from our hearts and guide us to discard our ignorance and remove our pride of considering ourselves, our class, caste, language, region, community, nation, and families as being better than any other Muslim's. AMEEN. We are clearly told by Allah Ta'ala that all Muslim's are one and no Muslim has a higher status than another, except with regard to PIETY. May this article below be a motivation for me and for every Muslim to give up our pride, for we are clearly told that "a person with even an atom's worth of pride will not see Jannah". May Allah Ta'ala protect us from such a fate by enabling us to put our knowledge into practice, ameen,%0D%0A%0D%0AJOWAIBIR AND ZALFA%0D%0A%0D%0AAn Anecdote from the History of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam)%0D%0A%0D%0AJOWAIBIR AND ZALFA%0D%0A%0D%0A"How beautiful it were if you could marry and establish a family, ending this forlorn and isolated life? You could fulfil your natural urges and also she could help you in your temporal and spiritual needs and goals."%0D%0A%0D%0A"O Messenger of Allah, I have neither wealth nor beauty; nor I have a noble descent or lineage. Who will marry me? And which woman likes to be wife of a poor, short, black and ugly man like me?"%0D%0A%0D%0A"O Jowaibir! Allah has changed the individual's worth through Islam. Many people were high-placed in the pre-Islamic society and Islam brought them down. Many were despised non-entities and Islam bestowed them with honor and high rank and brought them up. Islam abolished the un-Islamic discrimination and pride of lineage. Now all people irrespective of their color and origin are equal. Nobody has superiority over others but through piety and obedience to Allah. Among the Muslims, only that person would be higher than YOU whose virtues and deeds are better than you. Now do as I tell you."%0D%0A%0D%0AThese words were exchanged one day between the Prophet and Jowaibir when the Prophet came to see the people of "Suffa".%0D%0A%0D%0AJowaibir was a native of "Yamamah" where he came to know about the Prophet and the advent of Islam. He was poor, black and short, but at the same time intelligent truth seeking and a man of determination. He came to Medina to look at Islam from near; in a short time he embraced Islam. Since he had neither money, house nor any friends, he temporarily was accommodated along with other poor Muslims in the Mosque by permission of the Prophet. When it was revealed unto the Prophet that the Mosque was not a place of habitation, it became necessary to shift them elsewhere. The Prophet selected a site outside the Mosque and erected a shed for them. The place was named as "Suffa" and the residents were known as "Ashab-e-Suffa" - all of them poor from places far away from Medina.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe Prophet came to visit them one day. Noticing Jowaibir among them he decided to bring him out of this forlorn life. It was beyond the fancy of Jowaibir to own a house and have a wife in his condition. And that was why he replied to the Prophet as to how it was possible for anyone to accept him in matrimony when the Prophet advised him to marry. But the Prophet removing his doubts explained to him the changes brought about in the social outlook of the people by Islam. After bringing Jowaibir out of his inferiority complex, he directed him to the house of Ziad ibne Lubaid to request him for his daughter's hand in marriage. Ziad was one of the wealthiest persons of Medina and commanded high respect among his tribes. When Jowaibir entered his house, he was surrounded by his relatives and some of his tribes-men. Jowaibir took a seat, paused for a moment and then raising his head said, "I have brought a message from the Prophet. Do you like to hear it confidentially or openly?"%0D%0AZiad: "A message from the Prophet is an honour to me, better you tell it openly." "The Prophet has sent me to request you for your daughter for myself". "Did he himself make this suggestion to you?" "I don't speak on my own accord. Everybody knows me, I am not a liar"%0D%0A%0D%0A"Strange! We don't give our daughters to persons of unequal status nor outside our tribe. You go back I shall go to the Prophet and have a talk with him myself."%0D%0A%0D%0AJowaibir left the house murmuring, "By Allah, whatever the Qur'an teaches and whatever is the purpose of the prophethood of Muhammad is totally against what Ziad says."%0D%0A%0D%0AThose nearby heard the murmurings of Jowaibir. Zalfa, the lovely daughter of Ziad, and the beauty queen of Medina, heard these words of Jowaibir. She came to her father and asked: "Father, what was that man who just went out saying? And what did he mean?" "He had come to ask for your hand in marriage and was claiming that the Prophet had sent him for this purpose". "Isn't it possible that he had really sent him, and thus your rejection may amount to disobedience of the Prophet's order?" "What do you feel about it?" "I feel you should bring him back before he reaches to the Prophet, and then go yourself to find out the truth."%0D%0A%0D%0AHe brought Jowaibir back to his house with due respect, and then himself hurried up to the Prophet. When he saw him he said:%0D%0A%0D%0A"O Messenger of Allah, Jowaibir came to my house and brought such and such a message from you, I would like to inform you that our custom is to give our daughters to persons of equal status and belonging to our tribe, who are all your helpers and companions."%0D%0A%0D%0A"O Ziad, Jowaibir is a Faithful man. That dignity and honor which you are talking about has now been abrogated. Every Believer man is equal (for marriage purpose) to every believer woman." Ziad returned to his house and explained the matter to his daughter. She said, "Please do not reject the proposal put by the Prophet. This matter concerns me. I accept Jowaibir whatever his condition may be. If the Prophet is pleased with it, I am also pleased."%0D%0A%0D%0AThe wedding was duly soleminized, Ziad paid "Mahr" (Marriage) from his own wealth and offered good articles to the pair. They asked the bridegroom, "Have you got a house where to take the bride?" He said, "No, I had never thought that I would get a wife and settle in domestic life. It was the Prophet who came suddenly and had a talk with me and sent me to Ziad's house". Ziad arranged for him a house equipped with complete household effects, and transferred the bride superbly adorned with ornaments and perfumes. Night came. Jowaibir did not know where was the house meant for him. He was guided to the house and led to the bridal-chamber. When he saw the house and its equipments and looked at the dazzling bride, his past came to his mind and he said to himself, "How poor I was when I entered this city. I had nothing - neither money nor beauty, neither any lineage nor family - now Allah made these affluences available to me through Islam. Indeed it is Islam that has brought such changes in the social outlook of the people beyond any imagination. How grateful I am to Allah for bestowing upon me all these Blessings!"%0D%0A%0D%0AIn spiritual ecstasy he went to a corner of the room; spent the night in recitation of the Qur'an and prayer. It was dawn when he came to himself and then decided to fast in gratitude to Allah. When women came to see Zalfa in the morning they found her untouched. They kept the matter secret from Ziad. Two nights and days passed in the same manner. He was fasting during days and praying during nights. The women of the family of the bride were worried. They thought perhaps Jowaibir was impotent and had no need for a woman. At last, they put the matter before Ziad.%0D%0A%0D%0AHe informed the Prophet; the Prophet; called Jowaibir and asked, "Don't you have any desire for woman?" "Incidentally, I have very intense desire of that kind". "Then why didn't you go near your bride?" "O Prophet of Allah, when I entered the house I found myself amidst that affluence. A state of gratitude and devotion took me over. I thought it necessary to offer thanks and prayers to Allah before doing anything. Tonight I shall go near my wife."%0D%0A%0D%0AJowaibir and Zalfa lived a most happy life. When the call for a Jihad (Holy%0D%0Awar) came, he participated in it with the enthusiasm typical of a brave Muslim, and achieved martyrdom under the banner of Islam. After his martyrdom, Zalfa was the most sought after woman for a wife and people were eager to pay the greatest Mahr for her.