The Shade of Swords

The Shade of Swords: Jihad and the Conflict Between Islam and Christianity (Roli Books, 2002) is M. J. Akbar’s ambitious historical study of jihad. Akbar traces the concept from its origins in early Islam through centuries of conflict with Christianity, including the Crusades, colonial encounters, and modern geopolitics. The book situates contemporary events—such as Saddam Hussein’s repositioning as a jihadi against America and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq—within this long historical continuum. Akbar emphasizes how jihad has been shaped by shifting notions of persecution, sacrifice, and victory, and how Muslim societies themselves have struggled to define and control it