You are a Belgian foreign fighter from Antwerp. Your parents came from Morocco but your native language is French. You were an amateur competitive weightlifter who followed a martyred friend, Ali, into jihad after following his story on social media. You left family behind, but they praised your decision.

You were included on this mission because you used to work construction and can operate some of the necessary equipment, and because you are a fighter, physically aggressive, always ready for a scrape.

Unlike most of them, you have seen real combat. There was a raid by Kurdish YPG fighters on the border town, where you and a group of recruits were being brought into Syria. During the raid you grabbed an AK from a fallen martyr and fought. With your help, the godless communists were driven back. It was the proudest moment of your life.

Your decision to join the jihad was the first time since you were a child that you
felt your parents’ unreserved approval. You are terrified of disappointing them. Your parents taught you that morals are everything. Some foreign fighters think that being assigned to Al-Hisbah, the religious police, is a waste or a punishment, but you know better.

You know from personal experience the constant temptations that men face, even when surrounded only by other men. Especially then. Rigidly following the law is the only way to control urges and temptations that could destroy you. You must use the battle with those desires to hone yourself into a perfectly disciplined warrior. That is, indeed, every man’s obligation. Al-Hisbah gives you the chance to show them and save them.

You are the fighter most likely to scold the others for transgressions of Islamic
rules of behavior. You are always first to insist on stopping for the five daily prayers at dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset, and night.

You look like the Terminator and scold everyone for their language and morals.

You are an ISIL foreign fighter, short on combat skills but long on being foreign. You have only recently arrived in ISIL. Your first duties were with Al-Hisbah, the religious police. You handed out fines for violations of ISIL’s massive list of proscribed acts, from smoking to inadequate beard length to allowing female family members out without escorts. You had to administer beatings to repeat offenders. Worse offenses were given the death penalty. That wasn’t on you, of course, but more experienced fighters.

You know enough to be wary of everyone around you. Anonymous denouncements can easily lead to imprisonment, torture, and execution without ever knowing the charge or your accusers.