Who is Salman Rushdie, author of Satanic Verses? Why Iran announced USD 3 million reward for beheading him

In a shocking incident, famous and controversial author Salman Rushdie was attacked by a man while he was on stage to deliver a lecture in the western area of New York, United States. Rushdie was immediately rushed to the hospital after the attack.

According to the Associated Press, Salman Rushdie was on the stage while he was being introduced to the crowd when a man rushed the platform and stabbed the author. He could be seen falling to the floor after he was stabbed, and the attacker was then restrained.

Video shows Salman Rushdie falling to the floor of the stage as shocked bystanders and security personnel rushed to his side. AP reported that the author was airlifted out of the venue to a medical establishment, while no update on his condition is known yet.

Who is Salman Rushdie?

Salman Rushdie, who has been embroiled in many controversies because of his hard-hitting books, is an Indian-born author who mostly specializes in works surrounding magical realism and historic fiction. He also focuses on issues surrounding the migrations between Eastern and Western civilizations, centered around the Indian subcontinent.

Even though Rushdie won the Booker Prize in 1981 for his second novel, Midnight’s Children, he gained prominence in mainstream media through his fourth novel, The Satanic Verses, which became the subject of many controversies.

Salman Rushdie was born in Mumbai, India, and completed his schooling and most of his education in India itself. After completing his higher education, the author moved to Pakistan briefly to be with his family, then decided to relocate to the United Kingdom permanently.

Why has Iran announced USD 3 million reward for beheading Salman Rushdie?

Salman Rushdie released his fourth novel, The Satanic Verses, in 1988 and the contents of the novel did not go down well with many Islamic nations. Many Islamic countries, including Iran, were left angered by the depiction of the Prophet Muhammad in the book.

Due to the controversial depiction of Prophet Muhammad in The Satanic Verses, Ayatollah Khomeini, the Supreme Leader of Iran at the time called the book a “blasphemy against Islam” and ordered a fatwa against Salman Rushdie. Due to the fatwa and subsequent violence caused by the book, the United Kingdom and Iran called off their diplomatic relations.

According to media reports, a semi-official Iranian religious organization raised around 3.3 million dollars in 2012, offering it as a bounty for beheading Salman Rushdie. At the time, the author dismissed these threats to his life, saying that no one seemed interested in the reward.

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