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Jihad and Other Essays, by Asghar Ali Engineer, is a collection of essays that ponder upon the chief conduct of Islam as a religion and the actual idea of Jihad. Summary of the Book The word Jihad is used in a different connotation today. It is perceived to be Holy War, but the scholar Asghar Ali explains that it simply means struggle for the way of Allah, the supreme. It also stands as an idea to stand against injustice. The other essays also talk about the ethical and humane values in the Islam religion. The book could not have been better timed, as Islam is one of the most misinterpreted and misunderstood religions in the world. With increasing number of terrorists who belong to the religion, Islam is losing its value as a spiritual guide and an immense school of philosophy. About Asghar Ali Engineer Asghar Ali Engineer is an esteemed Indian writer and scholar. He completed his Civil Engineering degree and worked with the Bombay Municipal Corporation. His autobiography A Living Faith: My Quest for Peace, harmony and Social Change is a poignant memoir of his life. He is the recipient of the prestigious Dalmia Award for Communal Harmony in 1990 and the Right Livelihood Award in the year 2004. Some of his works are Origin and Development of Islam: An Essay on Its Socio-Economic Growth, On developing theory of communal riots, The Role of minorities in freedom struggle, The Muslim communities of Gujarat: an exploratory study of Bohras, Khojas, and Memons and Communalism and communal violence in India: an analytical approach to Hindu-Muslim conflict.