The Issue of Blasphemy

for the assassination of Rushdie. At the official level, the other Muslim countries believe that while Rushdie has written a highly objectionable book, it does not justify the issuance of a religious fatwa to incite Muslims worldwide to kill Rushdie wherever he may be found. They emphasize peaceful rebuttal rather than resorting to violence with bombs and bullets. A Fallacy The articles advocating for the death of Salman Rushdie attempted to justify their stance by claiming that Rushdie had offended the sentiments of one billion Muslims worldwide. However, these claims lack factual basis. Evidence shows that over 99% of the letters and articles published on this matter were written by Muslims from India and Pakistan. Additionally, Urdu-speaking Muslims from the subcontinent displayed greater enthusiasm in their participation. The demonstrations organized in foreign countries were primarily led by the Indian and Pakistani diaspora, with Arabs and non-Arab Muslims residing in these countries playing a minor role in the protests. On April 3, 1989, ‘The Times of India’ featured a news item on its last page titled “Anti Verses Stir Intensified in the U.K.” The report highlighted that Muslims living in Britain had decided to escalate their agitation against ‘The Satanic Verses’ and were even willing to defy British laws to sustain their campaign. This announcement was made during a conference held under the auspices of the Muslim