The Zeal of Islamist Jihad

"I beg you in the name of God to please communicate with us so we can discuss the fate of our son who just wants to serve God and teach Islam."
"Heartbroken" [by his death but] incredibly proud' of his humanitarian work, their son] lost his life as a result of his love for the Syrian people and his desire to ease their suffering."
Ed and Paula Kassig, parents of U.S aid worker Peter Kassig

"If I could apologize to each American, one by one, I would because Peter died in Syria, while he was helping the Syrian people."
"Those who killed him claimed to have done it in the name of Islam. I am a Muslim and am from Syria. ... [His killers] are not Muslims."
Burham Agha, Syrian colleague of humanitarian aid worker Peter Kassig

An image grab taken from a propaganda video released on November 16, 2014 by al-Furqan Media allegedly shows members of the ISIL jihadists preparing the simultaneous beheadings of at least 15 men described as Syrian military personnel. AFP Photo

The Islamic State of Syria and Al Sham are not known for their compassion. They are abhorred and feared for their drive to commit atrocities, from crucifixion of Christians to beheading of 'apostates' and foreigners, mass abductions of women and girls from the Yazidi sect, and slaughter of men and boys insufficiently Islamist for their taste, along with summary executions and beheadings of military who oppose their caliphate.

As for the broken-hearted claim by Burham Agha, chorused by so many ordinary Muslims that the jihadists are not Muslim, nothing could be further from reality. They are indeed Muslim, and Islam is their raison d'etre, their pledge to embark on a a jihadi journey returning Islam to its foremost place of greatness on the world stage, edging out all competing religions, convincing the world to bow to the supremacy of Islam, by violent threat and terror.

Mr. Kassig, young and idealistic, dreadfully upset over the plight of Syrians whose own government has destroyed the country they love, and created a maelstrom of vengeance against the majority Syrian Sunni sect pleading for equality from a Shiite regime, sought to dedicate himself to relieving their status as refugees in need. Prepared to provide the basic elements of food, water and medicine, he sacrificed his life, unwillingly but necessarily.

As have done many before him, Westerners, women and men, who believe their humanitarian compassion for an oppressed people can give them comfort and hope for the future. He likely succeeded to some degree in his opening efforts, but then the inevitable caught up with him. In placing himself in a vulnerable position he gifted the Islamic State with a cudgel they enjoyed wielding.

His depression, their gain; enabling them to belittle, humiliate and torture the man, his conversion to Islam notwithstanding. Their treatment of him gave him the impetus to find solace and support in the worship of the very religion that inspired his suffering. A martyr born to the cause. He would far preferred not to have taken on that mantle so beloved of the jihadists. In that, he was Burhan Agha's kind of Muslim.

One more Westerner dead, and another 15 Syrian military personnel sacrificed to the other Islam, alongside the convert whose spurning of his grandparents' Christianity for Islamic trust, failed to protect him from Islamist justice.