‘The Satanic Verses’: Who is Salman Rushdie and why was he stabbed?

Salman Rushdie, the author whose publication led to death threats from Iran in 1989, was attacked Friday at a literary event in western New York.

He was rushed to a hospital in Pennsylvania where he underwent a surgical operation.

Presently, he is in a critical state after sustaining injuries invital organs, including the possibility of losing an eye, according to reports.

Condemned by many in the West, the attack has, however, received praises in other places. Why the mixed reception?

Profile: Salman Rushdie, a renowned but controversial author

Born on 19 June 1947, Salman Rushdie is a renowned novelist. He hails from Mumbai, India and he is also a legal citizen of the UK and US.

A prolific writer in the world of literature, the British-American has to his credit 14 novels and his work often combines magical realism with historical fiction.

He won the illustrious Booker Prize of 1981, and in 2007 he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his literary prowess and service.

However, his address of sensitive religious and political themes made him controversial.

The Satanic Verses, his fourth novel, inspired in part by the biography of the Islamic prophet Muhammad became a subject of debate upon publication in 1988.

Public demonstrations erupted in the Islamic world and the life of the Indian-born British writer came under huge threat.

The literary piece was said to have featured blasphemous passages and was prohibited in countries with large Muslim populations, including his home state, India.

Former Iranian supreme leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomenei in a fatwa issued on 14 February 1989, called for his killing.

The decree condemned by the US, France, and other Western countries forced Salman Rushdie into hiding.

He has lived under police protection because of threats to his life – with a bounty of over $3 million placed on his head.

Why was he stabbed?

Information as to why the author was stabbed remains unclear.

The New York State Police has identified the suspect of the attack as 24-year-old Hadi Matar from New Jersey.

He has been charged for attempted murder.

Currently, the police are working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and local authorities to determine the weapon and motive behind the attack.