Salman Rushdie is one of the most celebrated authors. Known for his strong prose and imaginative stories, Rushdie enjoys a strong fan following among readers. This is why the attack on him in New York came as a shock for everyone.
The 75-year-old writer was stabbed multiple times in the neck and abdomen. He is currently hospitalized. But what really makes Rushdie famous? And why was he attacked by Hadi Matar? The answer to this question will take us back 33 years to the past. This was around the time when Salman released that book that was marred with controversies.
Read More: What Is Salman Rushdie’s Condition After Getting Stabbed? Will He Survive?
Why Is Salman Rushdie Famous?
Salman Rushdie is an Indian-born American author. Known for his magical realism, Rushdie has authored 12 fiction novels, three short story collections, along with several essays and children’s books.
In 1981, his second novel, Midnight’s Children won the Booker Prize. Rushdie’s work has been criticized, appreciated, and examined by writers and scholars across the globe.
In 1983, Rushdie was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. He was also appointed a Commandeur de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres of France in 1999.
The writer was also knighted in 2007 for his contribution to literature. The Times magazine had ranked him 13th on its list of the 50 greatest British writers since 1945 in 2008.
Who Is Hadi Matar?
According to NBC New York, Hadi Matar is a 24-year-old resident of Fairview, New Jersey. He was born in the United States of America to Lebanese parents who migrated from Southern Lebanon.
His social media posts show that Matar is sympathetic to Shia extremism and the causes of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). It is a branch of the Iranian armed forces.
Matar, in a now-deleted Facebook post, had shared the pictures of Ayatollah Khomeini, a former Irani leader.
Facebook has now taken down an account thought to have been owned by Hadi Matar, 24, from New Jersey, the main suspect in the stabbing of Salman Rushdie. His account featured images of Ayatollah Khomeini, who issued the 1989 fatwa, and his successor Ayatollah Khamenei. pic.twitter.com/vTYYruNwXP
— Shayan Sardarizadeh (@Shayan86) August 13, 2022
Matar had a pass to attend the lecture where he attacked Rushdie. His last official address was in Fairview, just across the Hudson River.
What Led To The Attack On Salman Rushdie?
In 1988, Rushdie published a novel titled ‘The Satanic Verses‘ inspired by the life of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.
The book was accused of hurting Islamic religious sentiments. In 1989, Irani leader Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa for the author’s death.
Several assassination attempts continued on him and his Japanese translator was murdered. Until 1998, the Irani government publicly backed the fatwa. Later, the then-Irani president, Mohammad Khatami, said they no longer supported the killing.
It is believed that Hadi Matar attacked Rushdie over ‘The Satanic Verses‘. His social media posts suggest that he was with Khomeini’s order to kill the writer.
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