The controversial book from 1988 prompted the then-leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khomeini, to issue a fatwa, or religious edict, ordering Muslims to execute the author. Sir Salman has received threats for decades since then.
The sales of Sir Salman Rushdie’s novel The Satanic Verses have increased since he was attacked at an event in the United States last week.
The controversial 1988 novel, which was deemed blasphemous by some Muslims, reached number eight on Amazon’s list of the week’s best-selling fiction books and was sold out by other booksellers.
The sales increase looked to be partially the result of readers expressing solidarity with Sir Salman, who has been the victim of death threats, including fatwas, for decades.
The paperback edition of the book was the No. 2 best-selling book on Amazon’s Contemporary Fiction and Literature chart as of Wednesday afternoon, while the audiobook version held the No. 14 slot on Audible.
Last Friday, a verified reviewer posted on Amazon: “Bought in solidarity with Mr. Rushdie.
Nobody should be physically assaulted for their written remarks.
The paperback edition of the book was also momentarily unavailable on the websites of Barnes & Noble and Bookshop.org, an independent retailers’ marketplace.
It comes nearly a week after the 75-year-old British citizen of Indian descent was taken to a hospital and underwent hours of surgery after being attacked on stage in Chautauqua, New York, last Friday.
Sir Salman was stabbed around twelve times in the face and neck, according to local officials. He has been removed from a ventilator, but his son says he has sustained “life-changing injuries.”
In 1988, The Satanic Verses were prohibited in several Muslim-majority nations, including Iran.
Some of the book’s scenes feature a character based on the Prophet Muhammad, which enraged members of the Muslim community who deemed it disrespectful.
In 1989, the leader of Iran at the time, Ayatollah Khomeini, issued a fatwa, or religious decree, ordering Muslims to execute the author.
The book was burned across the globe, and its translators were assaulted. Sir Salman has endured decades of threats and has spent many years in hiding.
The Satanic Verses are still prohibited in Iran and several other nations.
Hadi Matar, 24, who reportedly stabbed Sir Salman, has denied attempted murder and assault allegations.
Matar told the New York Post from Chautauqua County Jail that he dislikes Sir Salman and that he “attacked Islam,” adding that he only read “a handful of pages” of The Satanic Verses.
He refused to disclose if he was influenced by the late ayatollah, citing a warning from his attorney.
