The battle over Rushdie’s novel had a profound impact not just on Muslim communities but on liberals, too, many of whom were as disoriented by the breakdown of boundaries, and equally sought solace in black-and-white certainties. Some saw in the Rushdie affair a ‘clash of civilizations’. For others it revealed the need for greater policing of speech in a plural society.
Thirty years on, both sentiments have become entrenched. We live in a world in which many view Muslims as the Other who don’t belong. And others want to ban – even burn – The Satanic Verses to ‘respect Muslims’.
Azhar had never read The Satanic Verses. Reading it now, he found some passages offensive. Yet, he insisted, “that does not mean I want to curb other people’s right to write things”. “As a community,” he observed, “we need to be able to stomach debates about our culture and our religion, even if we find them offensive. Only when we can do that will the ghost of The Satanic Verses be put to bed.” [Guardian Cif] Read more
