JAIPUR: 'Jihad might be infamous as an armed war but in fact, it is more of an ethical concept with a much deeper meaning and relevance in Islam,' says Ayesha Jalal. In conversation with William Dalrymple over her latest book, Partisans of Allah: Jihad in South Asia, on the third day of the Jaipur Literature Festival, Ayesha debated over the idea of ethical jihad, which is pointless if not done with 'imam' (faith).

"I myself faced questions like is religion your personal faith or the sense of identity, which primarily was the driving force for partition and formation of Pakistan,'' said Ayesha, adding she had to go through an entire process of reinventing herself before writing the book. "In the commercial rules of law, the ethical concept of Jihad does not exist. It is purely based on warfare and a 'Holy War' as it is now made out to be,'' said the author, during the conversation also named 'Holy Wars'.