I did not write Satanic Verses for mullahs, Salman Rushdie says

[ALOK31]

LONDON: Over two decades after Satanic Verses sparked a never-ending controversy and provoked a 'fatwa' for his head, author Salman Rushdie has only one thing to say to his detractors: 'I did not write it for the mullahs'.

The India-born controversial writer who has lived for years under the shadow of his 1988 book, now liberally jokes about the whole issue.

Speaking at the Hay Festival of Literature and the Art in Wales, the 64-year-old author said books are intended for people who like them.

Joking about the 'fatwa' issue during an interaction, he said he did not write it "for the mullahs. I didn't think they were my target audience".

"The only thing worse than a bad review from the Ayatollah Khomeini would be a good review from the Ayatollah Khomeini," he remarked.

The author, who is best known for his memorable Booker winning marvel 'Midnight's Children', said the reason why books endure is not that people dislike them or that there is a controversy around them.

"The reason why books endure is because there are enough people who like them. It's the only reason why books last. It's the people who love books that make them last, not the people who attack them".

Satanic Verses sparked widespread outrage among Muslims and even led to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the Supreme Leader of Iran, issuing a fatwa calling for Rushdie's death in 1989.

However, controversy over the book has never died down. In January this year, Rushdie's presence at India's most prestigious literature festival at Jaipur was objected upon by a section of people, preventing him from making it to the event.

Later in the well-attended interaction, he said: "I don't read my books, I write them. Once I've finished the many years it usually takes me to write them, I can't bear to read them, because I've spent too long with them already. I'm not advertising them very well, am I?"

 

[RuheTag]

 

[Henry]

I heard Satanic Verses is Not Banned in Turkey, An Islamic Country.

While It is Banned in India Because Along with Mohammad, Indira Gandhi and Nehru were also Characters in the Book.

 

[EjazR]

I heard Satanic Verses is Not Banned in Turkey, An Islamic Country.

While It is Banned in India Because Along with Mohammad, Indira Gandhi and Nehru were also Characters in the Book.

Well your info is wrong because there is no Nehru or Indira Gandhi in that book. You are confusing with Midnight Children which is NOT banned in India. Indira Gandhi actually won a libel suit against Salman Rushide for defamation of character and Salman Rushide had to change his book because of this. Google is your friend for more details.

And its also a myth that Turkey didn't ban the book although I am not sure if its enforced, just like its "banned" in India but hardly enforced. (Turkey Imposes Ban on Import and Sale of 'Satanic Verses' - Los Angeles Times)

The fact is that Rushdie satirised on the wives of the Prophet as prostitutes which is not only incorrect just as his fabrications on Indira Gandhi were incorrect and had to be retracted, they are patently and bound to be insulting and hurtful for any Muslim. I am sure if an author satirses about the wives of Hindu Gods being prostitutes even if it may be twisting the spellings of its character to claim innocence of not referring to the actual Gods themselves would be seen as a person deliberately hurting Hindus. Similar would be the case if someone calls for example Mary the mother of Jesus a prostitute in a satire.

Ofcourse, the Ayatollah of Iran announcing the death "fatwa" was stupid and nonsensical. His main aim was political when Iran was being isolated in the region and this was his way of playing to galley. But putting that aside, I would be surprised if any descent person who reads the book fully would even consider it a mediocre book.

 

[Henry]

Well your info is wrong because there is no Nehru or Indira Gandhi in that book. You are confusing with Midnight Children which is NOT banned in India. Indira Gandhi actually won a libel suit against Salman Rushide for defamation of character and Salman Rushide had to change his book because of this. Google is your friend for more details.

And its also a myth that Turkey didn't ban the book although I am not sure if its enforced, just like its "banned" in India but hardly enforced. (Turkey Imposes Ban on Import and Sale of 'Satanic Verses' - Los Angeles Times)

The fact is that Rushdie satirised on the wives of the Prophet as prostitutes which is not only incorrect just as his fabrications on Indira Gandhi were incorrect and had to be retracted, they are patently and bound to be insulting and hurtful for any Muslim. I am sure if an author satirses about the wives of Hindu Gods being prostitutes even if it may be twisting the spellings of its character to claim innocence of not referring to the actual Gods themselves would be seen as a person deliberately hurting Hindus. Similar would be the case if someone calls for example Mary the mother of Jesus a prostitute in a satire.

Ofcourse, the Ayatollah of Iran announcing the death "fatwa" was stupid and nonsensical. His main aim was political when Iran was being isolated in the region and this was his way of playing to galley. But putting that aside, I would be surprised if any descent person who reads the book fully would even consider it a mediocre book.

I Messed up with the Midnight's Children. The Ban Must have been Removed as Today's Sources Claim.

If You want to Relate What Hindus have Faced, It would be Like:

- Mohammad's Photo Drawn on a Lingerie for a Bikini Ad Campaign.

- Allah Labelled Beers with Some Allah's Sticker.

 

[EjazR]

I Messed up with the Midnight's Children. The Ban Must have been Removed as Today's Sources Claim.

If You want to Relate What Hindus have Faced, It would be Like:

- Mohammad's Photo Drawn on a Lingerie for a Bikini Ad Campaign.

- Allah Labelled Beers with Some Allah's Sticker.

And if If I recall correctly in both cases, the Hindu community rightly felt insulted and raised objection to it demanding it be withdrawn. The bikini designer as well as the beer manufacturer withdrew their products with apologies to the Hindu community as they should have. And no one gave awards and praised the bikini designer or beer manufacturer on how "good" or "nice" their product were.

In Salman Rushdie's case, neither did he withdraw the offesive portions of the book, nor recognise and apolgise for satirising the wives of the Prophet. On the other hand we have "some" people praising the book even without reading the book only because Muslims found it offensive.