Salman Rushdie Attacked: Booker Prize Winner, Controversies & Fatwa on Rushdie

Salman Rushdie was attacked yesterday at 11 am in an event for writers at Chautauqua Institution, in southwestern New York.

Rushdie was stabbed 10-15 times in 20 seconds at the Neck, Abdomen and Torso. After the attack, he was airlifted to a nearby hospital.

Currently, he is being treated in a trauma centre in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Salman Rushdie is on Ventilator, and according to the sources after the surgery, he will most probably lost one eye, and his liver and nerves in his arm were also damaged.

Take a look at the man behind Salman Rushdie's fatal Attack. Controversies and fatwa against the controversial writer Salman Rushdie-

Who is Hadi Matar? Attacker of Salman Rushdie-

Salman Rushdie was going to give a lecture on artistic freedom at southwestern New York’s Chautauqua Institution, there were 2,500 people in the audience. Suddenly A man in his late 20s Hadi Matar jumped on stage and stabbed the writer 10-15 times.

Initially, audiences thought that it is a staged act because the writer already facing death threats, but it was not true.

The interviewer also faced a minor head injury and audiences then rushed to the stage to help Rushdie and police nabbed the attacker.

The man behind this attack is a 24-year-old, who is living in Fairview, New Jersey.

According to Law Enforcement Officials Matar’s social media account shows that he is sympathetic to Shia Extremism and the causes of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Police did not find any direct link between the attacker and IRGC but they found images of slain commander Qassem Solemani an Iraqi extremist on his phone.

Major Eugene Staniszewski of the New York Police stated that the motive behind the attack is not clear and they are finding the nationality of the attacker.

He had a pass to access the Institution.

According to the President of the Chautauqua Institution, the place is extremely safe.

Many people from the audience said that there were no proper security checkups like metal detectors etc. Anyone who has a pass can enter the event.

 Who is Salman Rushdie?

Salman was born in Bombay on 19 June 1947, in an Indian Kashmir Muslim family. His father Anis Ahmed Rushdie was Cambridge educated Lawyer turned businessman and her mother Negin Bhatt was a teacher.

He did his schooling in Bombay's famous school Cathedral and John Connon School in Fort. He graduated with BA in History degree from King’s College, Cambridge.

He finally settled in the UK and began his journey as a writer there. He wrote the famous novel Midnight’s Children in 1981, which won him a Booker Prize. It is so famous that in 2008 voting it is considered the best booker prize novel in the history of the Booker prize.

In 1988 he wrote a most controversial novel The Satanic Verses in which he wrote a false thing about the Muslim prophet Muhammad.

The Muslim community considered this novel blasphemy and make fun of their faith.

He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2007 for his work in literature.

Fatwa and Death Threats against Salman Rushdie-

When The Satanic Verses was published in 1988, there was a widespread protest in the Muslim community all around the world,  According to them a book has a false interpretation of Islam and mocks their religion.

Soon after its release, it was banned in India, Pakistan, South Africa and other countries.

In 1989 Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa and place a $3 million reward on Rushdie’s head and persons who were involved in novel publication.

After that Rushdie went underground for a decade and lived in a safe house in the UK, under the pseudonym Joseph Anton. UK police provide protection to him.

The Japanese translator of the book Hitoshi Igarashi was stabbed to death in 1991.

An Italian translator of the book Ettore Capriolo was injured in a stabbing in Milan in 1991.

In 1998 Iran's reformist govt. President Mohammad Khatami said that the Iran govt. no longer support the fatwa.

After this declaration by the Iranian govt. Salman Rushdie finally made out in public. And later in 2000, he shifted to the US and currently living in New York.

Reactions of Famous People on Twitter -

A terrible day for literature, for freedom of speech and for authors everywhere. Poor poor Salman: I pray he's not hurt and recovers quickly https://t.co/JX5LGTMk5L

— William Dalrymple (@DalrympleWill) August 12, 2022

I just learned that Salman Rushdie was attacked in New York. I am really shocked. I never thought it would happen. He has been living in the West, and he has been protected since 1989. If he is attacked, anyone who is critical of Islam can be attacked. I am worried.

— taslima nasreen (@taslimanasreen) August 12, 2022

Thank you to the swift response of @nyspolice & first responders following today's attack of author Salman Rushdie.

Our thoughts are with Salman & his loved ones following this horrific event. I have directed State Police to further assist however needed in the investigation.

— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) August 12, 2022

Appalled that Sir Salman Rushdie has been stabbed while exercising a right we should never cease to defend.

Right now my thoughts are with his loved ones. We are all hoping he is okay.

— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) August 12, 2022

I hope Salman Rushdie is okay.

— Stephen King (@StephenKing) August 12, 2022

For 33 years, Salman Rushdie has embodied freedom and the fight against obscurantism. He has just been the victim of a cowardly attack by the forces of hatred and barbarism. His fight is our fight; it is universal. Now more than ever, we stand by his side.

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) August 12, 2022

I condemn the barbaric attack on Salman Rushdie by some fanatic . I hope that NY police and the court will take the strongest action possible against the attacker .

— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) August 12, 2022