December 15, 2025
Topic Jihad Topic Jews Topic News
On December 14, 2025, two gunmen targeted Jews at Chanukah festival at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. At least 15 people were killed and scores injured.
The willingness to directly identify and confront the causes of such a horrific event is the bare minimum that the media and political leaders owe to the victims and the bereaved. A clear understanding of these origins is essential not only to preventing similar atrocities in the future but also to strengthening national security. This article aims to serve as such a guide.
ABC News reported both that “One of the Bondi Beach gunmen came to the attention of Australia's domestic intelligence agency six years ago for his close ties to a Sydney-based Islamic State (IS) terrorism cell” and that “Two IS flags were found in their car at Bondi Beach, according to senior officials speaking on condition of anonymity. One flag could be seen in footage from the scene on the bonnet of the car." It clearly signalizes the perpetrators’ affiliation and explains their motivation. Islamic State’s flag contains the Islamic proclamation of faith called the Shahada: “There is no god but Allah, and Mohammed is the Messenger of Allah.” The words of Allah are found in the Koran, Mohammed’s life story is known as the Sira, and his traditions are called the Hadith. This is the Islamic primary doctrine.
Almost one tenth of Islamic primary doctrine is anti-Jewish text. Here are a few of many examples:
Hadith, Bukhari 2926 (also 2925, 2922, 2921a)
Mohammed: “The Hour will not be established until you fight with the Jews, and the stone behind which a Jew will be hiding will say. “O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding behind me, so kill him.”
“Fight against such of those who have been given the Scripture [Jews and Christians] as believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, and forbid not that which Allah hath forbidden by His messenger, and follow not the Religion of Truth, until they pay the tribute readily, being brought low.”
On one occasion, Mohammed was personally involved in beheading 600–900 Jewish prisoners of war. Thus, killing defenseless Jews follows Mohammed’s perfect example. This is a well-documented fact (Sira – Mohammed’s biography, Ibn Ishaq 690).
We can therefore state with certainty that the mass killing of Jews is fully supported by the primary Islamic doctrine. It is Islamic in its origin.
On the other hand, the heroic act of the man —described by media and politicians as a Muslim—, who disarmed one of the perpetrators, went against that doctrine. Why? He effectively interrupted an act of violent jihad which is a divine Islamic act. It is so important that almost one third (31%) of Islamic primary doctrine is about jihad. Mohammed and Allah made jihad obligatory and identified it as the best action a Muslim can do. Here is one of many quotes:
The Prophet was asked, "Which is the best deed?" He said, "To believe in Allah and His Apostle." He was then asked, "Which is the next (in goodness)?" He said, "To participate in Jihad in Allah's Cause." He was then asked, "Which is the next?" He said, "To perform Hajj-Mabrur."
This made him a de-facto apostate from Islam. Apostasy can be punishable, according to the Islamic doctrine, by death. That’s why his actions cannot be considered Islamic. It was a highly commendable act of human courage and compassion. He not only risked his own life by disarming the gunmen, but he could now live under the threat of capital punishment for the rest of his life. Here you can see one example of many:
Narrated `Ikrima: Some Zanadiqa (atheists) were brought to `Ali and he burnt them. The news of this event, reached Ibn `Abbas who said, "If I had been in his place, I would not have burnt them, as Allah's Messenger forbade it, saying, 'Do not punish anybody with Allah's punishment (fire).' I would have killed them according to the statement of Allah's Messenger, 'Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him.'"
With that being known, he should be given state-level protection, similar to that offered by Australian authorities to Salman Rushdie.
We urge media outlets and politicians to ensure that goodwill is matched by rigor combined with understanding of Islamic political doctrine.