The attack on Salman Rushdie prior to a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution in New York serves as a chilling reminder of the enduring consequences of religious extremism. Rushdie, renowned for his magic realism novel “The Satanic Verses,” faced the wrath of Islamic extremists after its publication in 1988. The novel’s title directly referenced verses in the Quran, sparking outrage among some Muslims.
In response, then-Supreme Leader of Iran, Ruhollah Khomeini, issued a fatwa against Rushdie, calling for his assassination and putting a hefty bounty on his head. This led to a decade of perilous living for Rushdie, marked by numerous assassination attempts and heightened security measures. Although Iran officially revoked the fatwa in 1998, the threat to Rushdie’s life persisted, as a fatwa cannot be fully nullified under Shia Islamic tradition.
Throughout this tumultuous period, Rushdie resided in the United Kingdom, under constant police protection. Tragically, other individuals associated with “The Satanic Verses,” such as Japanese translator Hitoshi Igarashi, fell victim to assassination attempts by extremists.
In the early 2000s, Rushdie relocated to New York, seeking a safer environment to continue his writing career. However, in 2022, the specter of the fatwa resurfaced when Rushdie was stabbed multiple times by Islamic extremist Hadi Matar. Matar, driven by misguided zealotry, confessed that his attack was motivated by Rushdie’s perceived blasphemy against Islam, despite having read only a few pages of the novel.
“Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder” provides a sobering reflection on the enduring impact of religious intolerance and fanaticism. Rushdie’s ordeal serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting the dangers of unchecked extremism and the importance of defending freedom of expression.
