The Satanic Verses is a novel by the British-Indian writer Salman Rushdie, published in 1988, which blends magical realism with a story about two Indian actors who survive a terrorist bombing of an airliner. Some of its passages, which are based on a story about the Prophet Muhammad and fictional dream sequences, were considered blasphemous by many Muslims. It was banned in India and several other countries, and in February 1989 Iran's leader Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa calling for Rushdie's death. The author went into hiding under police protection for years, and several people connected with the book, including translators, were attacked or killed. The affair became a symbol in debates over free speech.
Before and after
- 23 June 1988James Hansen tells the US Senate that global warming has begun
- 3 July 1988Iran Air Flight 655 shootdown
- from 16 August 1988 to 18 August 1988Gladbeck hostage crisis
- 21 August 1988Birth of Robert Lewandowski
- September 1988Publication of The Satanic Verses
- 15 October 1988Birth of Mesut Özil
- 4 November 1988Launch of National Center for Biotechnology Information
- 8 November 19881988 United States presidential election
- 15 November 1988First flight of Buran
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The era
This moment belongs to the Contemporary world (1945 CE to today), the world since 1945. You can also browse everything in the 20th century.