Quickies: The Heart Of The Matter

     There’s been some comment from the FBI to the effect that the San Bernardino massacre “might” have been terrorism. It might surprise some Gentle Readers, but I don’t think so.

     I think this was jihad, pure and simple: the killing of the greatest possible number of “infidels.” Enhancing the sense of insecurity we feel was a secondary priority at most.

     The “very religious” Muslim couple who perpetrated these killings might have been ISIS or al-Qaeda affiliates, but at this time such a connection has not been made. But they were devout Muslims, and the Qur’an explicitly instructs Muslims to do what they did when the opportunity presents itself:

     Qur'an, Sura 8:12: "I will instill terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers: smite ye above their necks and smite all their fingertips off them."

     Qur'an, Sura 9:5: "But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem..."

     Qur'an, Sura 9:29: "Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the latter day, nor do they prohibit what Allah and His Apostle have prohibited, nor follow the religion of truth, of the people of the Book, until they pay the jizya with willing submission and feel themselves subdued."

     Jihad is the religious obligation of any Muslim with the opportunity to strike a blow at Dar al-Harb. Syed Farook and his “wife” deemed themselves to have such an opportunity. They acted on it – and we should draw the appropriate lessons before any of their co-religionists do more of the same.