Ibrahim Latif

Indonesia’s Aceh province, which is majority-Muslim, has enacted Islamic sharia law as the law of the land. Just like what always happens when sharia is enacted, there were catastrophic consequences for the residents of Aceh. Ibrahim “Queen Latifah” Latif is the head of sharia enforcement in Langsa city, and he has made it his life’s work to crack down on various forms of harmless fun. He’s a world-class douchebag – but he’s a douchebag for Allah.

When a local concert celebrating Indonesia’s Independence Day ran late, Latif and several Wilayatul Hisbah (sharia police) officers walked onstage and interrupted the keyboardist due to a ban on late-night performances. They immediately drew boos from the crowd, but did not care because they believed Allah was cheering them on, despite any indication whatsoever Allah even gave a crap. The fans wouldn’t let their concert be cut short, however – they charged the stage and attacked the sharia enforcers, Latif included. “I got two fists in the face,” Latif told news media after the incident. “Several members of Wilayatul Hisbah were also beaten and kicked by Dangdut [music] fans who were drunk. We just tried to dodge the blows. We could not fight back because there were so many.” Yep, blame it on the alcohol (which is haram in Islam), not the fact that you’re a grade-A douchebag who gets off on not letting anyone have fun. Many in the audience of the concert have denied Latif’s recounting of the events of that evening, claiming he was never assaulted.

Regardless of whether or not Latif got his ass beaten, there was a lot of fallout from that concert. Latif explained, “I continue to receive threats from various parties who are not happy with Islamic law. I was threatened, terrorized, even threatened with death.” If you want to talk about terrorized, try being a woman living in Aceh who could get arrested if her pants are too tight. Or try being this next girl, whose life was ruined when Latif went extremely overboard.

After seeing a girl and her mixed-gender friends hanging out in a field after dark, Latif decided it would be best to harass the group. They weren’t harming anybody, but the sight of a teenage girls and boys hanging out platonically was far too much for Latif to bear. However, being the sharia enforcer he is, it’s quite likely he’d have no problem with one of those teenage girls being with a much older man (non-platonically) in an arranged marriage. Anyway, Latif identified one of the girls and published her identity in the local newspaper, along with an accusation that she was a “slut.” The girl committed suicide later that day. Bullying in US schools can be bad, but Muslims take the cake when it comes to abusing others.

On December 4, 2013, Latif and 12 Wilayatul Hisbah officers were tipped off to the location of what Latif called a “drinking party” at a cafe. It was a small gathering where a few people had drinks (gasp.) Of course, that was enough for four of them to be arrested – just for drinking. “It was also a sex party because men and women who were not related were mixing,” Latif stated. Seriously? Equating any social interaction with the opposite sex with intercourse is absolutely ludicrous. Besides, if the people were having a drunken sex party, more power to them.

After that raid, numerous angry residents of the area raided and ransacked the Wilayatul Hisbah office. You would think the crazy Muslims would have gotten the picture and decided to GTFO, but instead they dug their heels in. “I am not afraid of enforcing the Islamic sharia, even though I will face resistance,” Latif stated after the raid. “It is this very resistance that is motivating me and the Wilayatul Hisbah members to continue to hold raids against violators, so that they know we are not afraid.” You may not be afraid, but neither are they. And they are far greater in number and in spirit than you.