India-born British American author Salman Rushdie on Friday was stabbed multiple times in neck and abdomen while he was attending a literary event in New York state. Salman Rusdhie New York came as a major shock as he was allegedly stabbed for his year-old book The Satanic Verses. Therefore, Salman Rushdie The Satanic Verses story is yet again in the spotlight and many are wondering what was so hurting in the book. The Satanic Verses story when released drew many flak around the countries including fatwas, death threats, and bounties, especially from Iran. The Satanic Verses full story was termed blasphemous by many Muslims and countries around the world.
Many Muslims found Salman Rushdie The Satanic Verses story blasphemous and called it an insult to the Prophet Muhammad, among other objections. Notably, Salman Rusdhie's The Satanic Verses was published in September 1998, and in 1999 Iran issued fatwa and bounties over Salman Rushdie's head. The Rajiv Gandhi government banned the book 9 days after its publication for hurting religious sentiments. In fact, at least 45 people were killed in riots over the book, including 12 people in Rushdie’s hometown of Mumbai.
With so much 'bloody history' in past, here's what The Satanic Verses story is all about -
Salman Rushdie The Satanic Verses Story is reportedly based on the story of two Indian Muslim actors–Gibreel Farishta and Saladin Chamcha–who miraculously survive a plane hijacking. Both fall from the sky, and one of them transformed into the archangel Gabriel, while the other morphs into the devil. Reportedly, Salman Rushdie The Satanic Verses is inspired by the life of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, whom Rushdie calls 'Mahound' in the book- a derogatory term used by the English during the Crusades.
The Satanic Verses story title refers to a group of verses from the Quran that Muhammad- who is meant to be morally infallible allegedly mistook for divine revelation. The mentioned verses permitted prayer to three pre-Islamic Meccan goddesses, which is a stark violation of Islamic monotheism. The verses were withdrawn on the grounds that the devil had sent them to trick Muhammad into thinking they came from God. However, hardline Muslims deny that these verses ever existed.
'Heights of Intolerance'
The Satanic Verses book has indeed a bloody past with a section of Muslim community murdering people at their will. In 1991, a Japanese translator of the book was stabbed to death and an Italian translator survived a knife attack. In 1993, the book’s Norwegian publisher was shot three times and survived.
Coming back to Salman Rushdie New York attack, Salman Rushdie, 75, was speaking at an event of the Chautauqua Institution when a man ran onto the stage and stabbed him multiple times. Salman Rushdie is currently on ventilator and is likely to lose his one eye. Reportedly, Salman Rushdie attacker has been identified as Hadi Matar, 24, from New Jersey. As per the probe, Matar's social media showed him to be sympathetic to "Shia extremism" and the causes of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard (IRGC).