What does “The Satanic Verses” say, the book for which 32 years ago Iran ordered the execution of Salman Rushdie

The world was shocked by the surprise attack suffered by the renowned writer Salman Rushdie, who was stabbed seconds after taking the stage at the Chautauqua Institution in New York, United States, to give a speech. Although for the moment the origin of the attack is unknownthe first hypotheses point to Iran, which 32 years ago had ordered his death for considering the content of one of his books offensive.

The attacker is called Hadi Matar and is 24 years old. US law enforcement sources told local media that she would have sympathy for the Iranian regime and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards.

The state of health of the essayist British-American of Indian origin also did not reveal himself, although it is known that he is alive and had to undergo surgery. Police reported that Salman, 75, was stabbed in the neck and had to be rushed to hospital by helicopter.

“The Satanic Verses”, the book for which Iran offered 3 million dollars to kill Rushdie

His 1988 novel “The Satanic Verses” was viewed as blasphemous by many Muslims, who found a character an insult to the Prophet Muhammad, among other objections. Often violent protests erupted around the world against Rushdie, who was born in India to a Muslim family. A riot killed 12 people in his hometown of Mumbai.

Who is Salman Rushdie, the stabbed writer who was targeted by Iran 30 years ago

The first information assures that the attack comes from Iran since his books are prohibited in the country. In 1989, after the previous year they had removed and banned the book of him, the late leader of Iran, Ruhollah Khomeiniissued a notice calling for Rushdie’s death.

Likewise, in various communiqués they spread that they would give 3 million dollars to whoever kills the writer. Iran later retracted the order and Rushdie lived relatively openly in recent years.

The British Indian author is a master of magical realism who came to worldwide attention when the goal of a fatwa (religious right) forced him into hiding, becoming a champion of free speech.

Writer Salman Rushdie was stabbed while giving a lecture in New York

The book won international acclaim and the prestigious Booker award of Great Britain for his depiction of post-independence India. But his 1988 book drew attention beyond his imagination when it provoked a fatwa calling for Khomeini’s death of him. The novel was considered by some Muslims to be disrespectful to the Prophet Muhammad.

He was given police protection by the British government, when he was at school and where he made his home, after the murder of his translators and editors.

“‘Respect for religion’ has become a catch phrase meaning ‘fear of religion’. Religions, like all other ideas, deserve criticism, satire and, yes, our fearless disrespectRushdie said in an interview.

He spent almost a decade in hiding, repeatedly moving houses and unable to tell his children where he lived. Rushdie only started walking out of his life as a fugitive in the late 1990s, after Iran said in 1998 that it would not support his assassination.

JD /