Salman Rushdie releases new novel, 6 months after stabbing

Bradford, in the north of Britain, on January 14, 1989. It’s a quiet Saturday morning. Suddenly, the city wakes up: hundreds of angry people run through the streets and gather in front of the city hall. They are protesting a book and end up burning copies of it.

It’s “The Satanic Verses” by Indian-British author Salman Rushdie. There are angry speeches denouncing the novel as blasphemy and calling it an intolerable insult to Islam.

Global outrage and even a death sentence

But as ash and charred fragments from the pages of banned books float across the square, even the most militant leaders of the protest have no idea of ​​the worldwide fire they have just ignited: there are book burnings in several countries, attacks on bookstores, deaths in demonstrations, bomb threats against Rushdie’s publishing company as well as British Airways, and stones thrown at British embassy buildings.

Around the world, police, parliaments and governments are in an uproar.

Finally, on February 14, 1989, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, issues a fatwa – a religious decree – ordering Muslims to assassinate the writer Salman Rushdie, as well as those involved in the publication of his book, for allegedly blasphemy.

In “The Satanic Verses”, Rushdie fictionalized parts of the life of the Prophet Muhammad, which infuriated many Muslims.

Even before the fatwa, the book was banned in several countries, including India, Bangladesh and Sudan.

‘The Satanic Verses’ is intended as a satire

Salman Rushdie was born on June 19, 1947, in Bombay, India, now Mumbai. He grew up in India and England and was raised Muslim. He renounced his faith as a young man. In his adopted country of England, he published several half-realistic, half-fantasy novels, with initial success.

The “Satanic Verses” was published in 1988. The satirical fairy tale deals with good and evil, dream and reality, as well as home, migration and identity – themes that follow Rushdie as a migrant in Europe.

demons and whores

What outrages the Islamic world are the allegories that Rushdie uses in his book, for example, the prophet Muhammad is given the archaic and offensive nickname of Mahound – demon or false idol – on whose birthday the crisis of his life begins: “There is a voice whispering in your ear: What kind of idea are you? Man or mouse?”

Furthermore, in the book, 12 prostitutes serve as the Prophet’s wives. Ultimately, Satan-inspired verses undermine the divine revelation of the Quran.

The novel’s approach proves intolerable to many in the Muslim world. Shortly after the book’s publication, protests erupt across the world, culminating in the fatwa. Additionally, a bounty worth millions is placed on Rushdie’s head.

A High Price to Pay for Global Fame

Rushdie is forced into hiding, aided by the British police, and changes hiding places every few days until a high security hideout is created for him. Meanwhile, he tries to live as normal a life as possible and continues to write.

After the fatwa, in February 1989, the Indian-born British writer, then 41, tries to smooth the waters by offering an apology.

“As the author of The Satanic Verses, I recognize that Muslims in many parts of the world are genuinely distressed by the publication of my novel,” Rushdie said in a brief statement. ”I deeply regret the distress the publication has caused sincere followers of Islam.”

”Living as we do in a world of many faiths, this experience has served to remind us that we must all be aware of the sensitivities of others,” he said.

hidden life

Rushdie remains underground for many years. The fatwa is not revoked. From his hiding places, Rushdie speaks repeatedly and, in the 2000s, he is also president of the American branch of the international association of writers PEN.

In 2007, Queen Elizabeth II knighted him, which again led to worldwide protests in the Muslim world.

Several of Rushdie’s novels are published, and the author has repeatedly received prestigious literary awards. His best book is considered his autobiography “Joseph Anton: A Memoir”, in which he discusses his years in the underworld.

Eventually, he moves to the United States. Although the fatwa has yet to be withdrawn, he now moves more freely, refusing personal protection. He attends events and makes public appearances.

An attack on Rushdie’s life

But in August 2022, it becomes evident that the years-long hatred of Islamic extremists has seemingly not subsided.

A 24-year-old man stabs Rushdie multiple times with a knife onstage at a literary event in western New York, seriously injuring him during the author’s lecture on America as a safe haven for exiled writers.

The writer, who had turned 75 two months earlier, is still struggling with the aftermath of the stabbing: he is blind in one eye and can no longer move one of his hands.

However, his new book “Victory City” has already been released in English. Rushdie tells the story of the Indian orphan Pampa Kampana, who is endowed with supernatural powers by a goddess and founds the city of Bisnaga.

It is a fictional retelling of the fallen Indian empire of Vijayanagar, which was founded in the 14th century and covered much of the southern region of India.

Rushdie will not embark on a book tour or participate in promotional events. He does, however, post frequently on Twitter, currently using it to display reviews of his new book.

This article has been adapted from German.