A prominent Muslim leader has called for a boycott of international coffee brand Starbucks because its support for gay marriage is 'not in line' with Islamic law.

Anwar Abbas, the leader of Muhammadiyah, a 30 million-strong group in Indonesia, said Starbucks' pro-gay stance threatened the 'religious and cultured' core of the Southeast Asian nation.

'If Starbucks only does business, then fine. But don't bring ideology here,' Abbas told Reuters on Saturday.

Anwar Abbas, the leader of Muhammadiyah, a 30 million-strong group in Indonesia, said Starbucks' pro-gay stance threatened the 'religious and cultured' core of the Southeast Asian nation

Abbas also called on the Indonesian government to revoke Starbucks' operating licence.

Asked why he took a stand against Starbucks, Abbas said he was prompted to speak out after company senior executive Howard Schultz made a pro-LGBT comment.

When a Starbucks shareholder complained in 2013 that the company had lost customers because of its support for gay marriage, Schultz said Starbucks embraced diversity and 'not every decision is an economic decision'.

Abbas also called on the Indonesian government to revoke Starbucks' operating licence

'We also value the religious background of our customers and employees,' Fetty Kwartati, a director at PT MAP Boga Adiperkasa Tbk, said

PT Sari Coffee Indonesia, which holds the licence to run the Starbucks chain, is a legal entity that claims to 'always obeys the prevailing regulations and appreciates the cultural values in Indonesia'.

'We also value the religious background of our customers and employees,' Fetty Kwartati, a director at PT MAP Boga Adiperkasa Tbk, said.

With the exception of the ultra-conservative Aceh province, homosexuality is legal in Indonesia.

But police raids on the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community have climbed in the world's most populous Muslim country.