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© Copyright 2002, Jim Loy
Salman Rushdie is a British author who was born in India. In 1988, he wrote the highly acclaimed book, The Satanic Verses. Shortly after that, India banned the book. In the U.S., the publisher received bomb threats. The book was then banned in South Africa. Soon, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Somalia, Bangladesh, Sudan, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Qatar banned the book. There were book burnings in England. In Pakistan, six people died and 100 were injured in demonstrations against the book. Then on Feb. 12, 1989, the Ayatollah Khomeini, leader of Iran, declared that the book was blasphemous, and called for the death of Rushdie. Rushdie went into hiding, with protection by the British government. An Iranian charity offered a million dollars reward (later raised to 2.5 million) for Rushdie's murder. Two bookstores in Berkeley California were firebombed. Twelve people died during rioting in Bombay. Britain broke off diplomatic relations with Iran. In Belgium, two Muslim leaders who opposed Rushdie's death penalty were shot to death. Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Tanzania, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Venezuela, Bulgaria, Poland and Japan banned the book. The Ayatollah Khomeini died, and the Iranian government reaffirmed Rushdie's death penalty. Five bookstores in England were firebombed. The Japanese translator of the book was stabbed to death. The Italian translator was seriously wounded. The Norwegian publisher was shot and seriously wounded.
The book became a best-seller. That Ayatollah sure knew how to sell books.
Rushdie explained that his book is not antireligious, and apologized that it had offended so many Muslims. The book begins rousingly as the two main characters (Gabreel and Saladin) are falling through the air, victims of the terrorist bombing of a jetliner. They miraculously survive. Gabreel, who had doubts about Islam, develops a halo, and begins to look like the angel Gabriel; Saladin grows horns, hooves, and a tail and looks like Satan. Much of the book tells of their adventures in these forms. Most of the controversy involves Gabreel's dreams. He dreams of a false prophet called Mahound (historically a derogatory name for Muhammad) who establishes a false religion. He also dreams that prostitutes took on the names of Muhammad's wives, in order to attract Muslims. In the end, Saladin returns happily to India, and Gabreel loses his faith and commits suicide.
At first thought, it seems that all of these Muslims misunderstood Rushdie's intent, for he was not trying to lead anyone away from Islam. Instead he was telling a story about a fictional character's doubts about Islam. But maybe all of those Muslims really did understand Rushdie's intent. Maybe doubt is the greatest of their fears. They seem to be willing to riot, die, and commit murder in response to the mere possiblity of doubt.
Other Islamic authors have been the targets of violence, threats of violence, and censorship. In 1992, Farag Fouda, a popular Egyptian writer was murdered by terrorists for speaking out against censorship. In 1994, Naguib Mahfouz, a Nobel prize winning, Egyptian author was stabbed repeatedly in the neck, by terrorists, but survived. Egyptian Nawal El Saadawi's feminist writings have been banned; she was imprisoned for writing political criticism, and she fled to the U. S. because of death threats. Taslima Nasrin, a feminist writer and critic of Islam, from Bangledesh, has been threatened with death and imprisonment, and is in hiding in the west.
Addendum:
I received this email (to a Mr. Moly?). It seems to be critical of Rushdie and the west:
Dear Mr Moly,
Those who write junk, are not accepted as a writer in the civilized world. I mean the CIVILIZED WORLD. Salman wanted to get rich quickly, and I suppose he did, but what is the point to have a gold coffin when you are not free to walk on street! Nobody disserve to die for what he writes. But those who write junk and try to insult a leader, are the junkies of the capitalist society. The West suffers from junk food, junk media, junk politics, and junk ideas. Let me assure you that those who come from an old civilization are not bothered by these junks! Lots of beggars came from India to the West. Their aim was to get rich fast! My message to the Western junk meda is: keep the good work guys. The more junk you write, the stronger the Muslim religion gets!!!!!!!!!!!!! The media are trying to make a HELL out of every society, by setting fire to the peaceful world, but soon they shall be caught in this fire themselves. Those who supported Salmon were not Christian!During the second world war lots of peasant came from East Europe to the West. These people (non Christian) are trying to run the West with their nasty ideas. But they shall end up in the GHETTO in the end.
Good luck to you
Let me add that after the "rousing start" that I described, I soon got bored with the book, and I was surprised that it had won awards. But I am also shocked, troubled, and concerned that many Muslims are willing to die or kill to protest such a seemingly innocent book. Free thought is one of the bases of American society. Here we may get upset when someone expresses a troubling idea. But I think that most of us are willing to think upon such subjects (or not) without the sacrificing of lives.
I just received this email:
I hate salman rushdie because he hates muslims worse than all the Republican'ts put together. He calls Muslims satanic because they disaggree with him. No wonder the Ayatollah declared the book blasphemous; BECAUSE IT IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!