In addition to his lectures, he has authored books, including translations ofArabic publications, and religious guides on subjects such asQurbani andSalah.[5][6] Somad's often controversial views has resulted in him being consideredpersona non grata in various countries, and he along with his supporters has been accused of being engaged withIslamic extremism.[7][8]
Abdul Somad was born on 18 May 1977 in Silo Lama, a village inAsahan Regency,North Sumatra, as the son of Bakhtiar and Rohana.[9][10] From the mother's side, he is descended from Sheikh Abdurrahman, nicknamed Tuan Syekh Silau Laut I, a Sufi scholar of theShattari Order who was born in Rao,Batu Bara.[11][12] He is descended fromMinangkabau immigrants whose ancestors came from Mudik Tampang,Rao, Pasaman.[13]
Abdul Somad rose to prominence primarily due to YouTube and social media in a time of rapid growing internet users inIndonesia.[14][15] He is well known for his humorous rhetoric in deliveringdawah.[16] His views of Islam is considered to befundamentalist and objective with his lectures encompassing literal topics onQuran andSunnah.[17][18]
In an October 2017 video posted on the Islamic-oriented YouTube channel Fodamara TV, Abdul Somad attracted controversy for stating that Muslims who shop or buy at coffee shops owned byStarbucks would go to hell due to the company's pro-LGBT policies. The video went viral in March 2018 with many online mocking the preacher for being hypocritical, noting that many of the platforms that Somad uses to spread his message such as YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter have similar pro-LGBT policies like Starbucks.[19]
In 2019, Somad was reported to police for delivering a speech in which he denounced thecrucifix, and stated that any Muslim dying in a hospital with crucifixes would be sent toHell because the crucifix contained ajinn, a supernatural creature believed to exist by pre-Islamic Arabian tribes and Muslims.[20]
Somad was also affiliated with theIslamic Defenders Front (FPI).[21] The latter organization was eventually banned by the Indonesian government due to radicalism as well.[22]
During theCOVID-19 pandemic, in one of his sermons, Somad claimed that thevirus causing it is the "soldier of Allah" that was sent to protect the Uyghur Muslims fromChinese repression. He stated that Uyghur Muslims are not infected by the virus because they performwudu regularly.[23] After the pandemic entered Indonesia, and some of the Muslims living there caught the disease and died because of it, including Tengku Zulkarnain, an IndonesianIslamic scholar who Somad considered as his teacher,[24] Somad changed his stance, claiming that every Muslim who dies due to the pandemic are consideredShahid,[25] and asserted that his previous claim that said the virus is the "soldier of Allah" is just of one of the many interpretations, and it would be wrong if people think that it is just the only interpretation.[26]
Somad had been refused entry to several countries such as East Timor, Switzerland,[27] Hong Kong, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Germany.[7]
On 16 May 2022, Somad, accompanied with six individuals came to Singapore, claiming to be on holiday purpose, but his entry was denied and he was deported toBatam on the same day. Singapore'sMinistry of Home Affairs (MHA) cited his past "extremist and segregationist" preachings as the reason for the government's refusal to let him enter the country.[28] The MHA added that Somad, in the past, had preached that suicide bombings are legitimate in the context of theIsraeli-Palestinian conflict, and are considered "martyrdom" operations; and he has also made comments denigrating members of other faiths, such as Christians, by describing the Christian crucifix as the dwelling place of an "infidel jinn (spirit/demon)".[29]
Somad then reacted in a video, claiming that "Singapore actually belongs to theMalays", and thatSingaporeans of other races are just immigrants there. He added, "In the future, God willing, the time will come, perhaps in the era of our grandchildren, the ones who will be in power are the Malays and that country shall be conquered back, so they will feel the pain, impudent!"[30] He also remarked that if "all Indonesians take a piss together and channel it towards Singapore, the island will sink".[31] His supporters spammed the social media accounts of various Singapore's political leaders and governmental organizations, with several threatening to wage a repetition of theSeptember 11 attacks on Singapore.[32][33] Somad also added that he would not "give up" in trying to visit Singapore.[34]
In a video recording of one of his sermons, Somad said: "Satan enters through the ear into the heart via music; the songs that we often hear will be stuck in our ears, and when we go to sleep [the devil] comes, so don't listen to music." However, another video emerged in which Somad, accompanied by apiano, sang Bila Tiba byPasha Ungu.[35][36]
On 16 June 2022, Somad stated that Wikipedia published defamatory information that are harmful to him. Somad claimed that his Wikipedia article called him an extremist and he had allowed suicide bombing. Somad claimed that his cyber team had attempted to change the article, but the changes are rejected by Wikipedia and his changes are undone.[37]
Somad married Mellya Juniarti in 2012.[38] The couple divorced in 2019.[39] In 2021, he married Fatimah Az Zahra Salim Barabud.[40] He has two children, one from his earlier marriage, and the second from his present one.[38][40]
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