THE WISDOM OF AVOIDANCE

THE WISDOM OF AVOIDANCE which brought him fame but not substantial wealth. Following this novel, Mr. Rushdie embarked on a lecture tour in India. I had the opportunity to attend two of his lectures, one at the University Hall and the other at the President Hotel. On both occasions, I found Mr. Rushdie to be a delightful intellectual. However, over the years, Mr. Rushdie has become a shrewd businessman. He strategically revolves his novels around controversial themes. Immediately after ‘Midnight’s Children,’ he wrote the novel ‘Shame’ about Pakistan, which was promptly banned in the country. This was precisely Mr. Rushdie’s intention. Every literate individual in Pakistan likely paid exorbitant prices to purchase and read this novel. This time, he has employed the same tactic in writing ‘The Satanic Verses.’ I am sure that every bookseller in India must be secretly selling or will sell this book to the Indian public at inflated prices, ensuring Mr. Rushdie’s financial success. Therefore, I urge my Muslim brethren in India and Pakistan not to be deceived by Mr. Rushdie’s cunning tricks and strategies. His comments on the Prophet of Islam appear lukewarm compared to those written by men like Edward Gibbon. The writings of Christian authors about the Prophet of Islam, particularly during the aftermath of the Crusades, are filled with lies and clear defamation. Compared to those works, Mr. Rushdie’s writings should not deceive us. He can