Vain and ridiculous -- or ready for jihad?

The mainstream media and the learned analysts, clueless as ever, continue to flail about in trying to explain why Osama bin Laden shows up in his latest video with his hair dyed lounge-lizard black.

By dyeing his hair and beard and wearing Arabic robes, bin Laden was trying to portray himself as a new, mature figure -- the spiritual leader of al Qaeda, Atwan said.

Others said the makeover was bizarre.

"It makes him, a man who claims he wants to be a martyr, look vain and ridiculous," said M.J. Gohel of the Asia-Pacific Foundation, a London think-tank.

the Shafi'i school of Islamic jurisprudence forbids men and women to dye their hair black "except when the intention is jihad...as a show of strength to unbelievers" ('Umdat al-Salik e.4.4).

Does Osama's dye job mean that he is going to participate personally in jihad warfare? Not necessarily. But it could be another signal that an attack is imminent.