Photos: Author Salman Rushdie on ventilator after New York stabbing
A person makes a call outside the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, N.Y., Friday, Aug. 12, 2022. Salman Rushdie, the author whose writing led to death threats from Iran in the 1980s, was attacked and apparently stabbed in the neck Friday by a man who rushed the stage as he was about to give a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution. (AP Photo/Joshua Bessex)
Author Salman Rushdie is tended to after he was attacked during a lecture, Friday, Aug. 12, 2022, at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, N.Y., about 75 miles (120 km) south of Buffalo. (AP Photo/Joshua Goodman)
FILE - Salman Rushdie attends the 68th National Book Awards Ceremony and Benefit Dinner on Nov. 15, 2017, in New York. Rushdie was attacked while giving a lecture in western New York. An Associated Press reporter witnessed a man storm the stage Friday at the Chautauqua Institution as Rushdie was being introduced. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
FILE - Author Salman Rushdie appears during the Mississippi Book Festival in Jackson, Miss., on Aug. 18, 2018. Rushdie, whose writing led to death threats, has been attacked on stage at an event in western New York (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)
Blood stains mark a screen as author Salman Rushdie, behind screen, is tended to after he was attacked during a lecture, Friday, Aug. 12, 2022, at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, N.Y., about 75 miles (120 km) south of Buffalo. (AP Photo/Joshua Goodman)
In this still image from video, author Salman Rushdie is taken on a stretcher to a helicopter for transport to a hospital after he was attacked during a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, N.Y., Friday, Aug. 12, 2022. (AP Photo)
An officer stands outside a gate of the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, N.Y., Friday, Aug. 12, 2022. Salman Rushdie, the author whose writing led to death threats from Iran in the 1980s, was attacked and apparently stabbed in the neck Friday by a man who rushed the stage as he was about to give a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution. (AP Photo/Joshua Bessex)
An officer stands outside a gate of the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, N.Y., Friday, Aug. 12, 2022. Salman Rushdie, the author whose writing led to death threats from Iran in the 1980s, was attacked and apparently stabbed in the neck Friday by a man who rushed the stage as he was about to give a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution. (AP Photo/Joshua Bessex)
Law enforcement stand watch outside at the Chautauqua Institution after author Salman Rushdie was attacked during a lecture, Friday, Aug. 12, 2022, in Chautauqua, N.Y., about 75 miles (120 km) south of Buffalo. (AP Photo/Joshua Goodman)
An officer with the Chautauqua Sheriff's Department speaks to a person at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, N.Y., Friday, Aug. 12, 2022. Salman Rushdie, the author whose writing led to death threats from Iran in the 1980s, was attacked and apparently stabbed in the neck Friday by a man who rushed the stage as he was about to give a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution. (AP Photo/Joshua Bessex)
ADDS NAME OF DETAINED PERSON Law enforcement officers detain Hadi Matar, 24, of Fairview, N.J., outside the Chautauqua Institution, Friday, Aug. 12, 2022, in Chautauqua, N.Y.. Salman Rushdie, the author whose writing led to death threats from Iran in the 1980s, was attacked and apparently stabbed in the neck Friday by Matar who rushed the stage as he was about to give a lecture at the institute in western New York. (Charles Fox via AP)
ADDS NAME OF DETAINED PERSON This still image from video shows Hadi Matar, 24, of Fairview, N.J., at left, being escorted from the stage as people tend to author Salman Rushdie, center right, at the Chautauqua Institution, in Chautauqua, N.Y., Friday, Aug. 12, 2022. Salman Rushdie, the author whose writing led to death threats from Iran in the 1980s, was attacked and apparently stabbed in the neck Friday by Matar who rushed the stage as he was about to give a lecture in western New York. (AP Photo)
ADDS NAME OF DETAINED PERSON This still image from video shows Hadi Matar, 24, of Fairview, N.J., at left, being escorted from the stage as people tend to author Salman Rushdie, center right, at the Chautauqua Institution, in Chautauqua, N.Y., Friday, Aug. 12, 2022. Salman Rushdie, the author whose writing led to death threats from Iran in the 1980s, was attacked and apparently stabbed in the neck Friday by Matar who rushed the stage as he was about to give a lecture in western New York. (AP Photo)
Local police and FBI block the area around the home of Hadi Matar on Morningside Avenue, Friday, Aug. 12, 2022, in Fairview, N.J. Matar rushed a stage and stabbed Salman Rushdie, whose novel "The Satanic Verses" drew death threats from Iran in the 1980s, as the author was about to give a lecture in western New York earlier today. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)
People gather at an evening vigil pray and observe a moment of silence after an attack on author Salman Rushdie, Friday Aug. 12, 2022, in Chautauqua, N.Y. Rushdie, whose novel "The Satanic Verses" drew death threats from Iran in the 1980s, was stabbed as he was about to give a lecture in western New York earlier today. (AP Photo/Joshua Goodman)
People gather at an evening vigil for author Salman Rushdie after was attacked, Friday Aug. 12, 2022, in Chautauqua, N.Y. Rushdie, whose novel "The Satanic Verses" drew death threats from Iran in the 1980s, was stabbed as he was about to give a lecture in western New York earlier today. (AP Photo/Joshua Goodman)
People scan publications at a news stand in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Aug. 13, 2022. Salman Rushdie, whose novel “The Satanic Verses” drew death threats from Iran’s leader in the 1980s, was stabbed in the neck and abdomen Friday by a man who rushed the stage as the author was about to give a lecture in western New York. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
The front pages of the Aug. 13 edition of the Iranian newspapers, Vatan-e Emrooz, front, with title reading in Farsi: "Knife in the neck of Salman Rushdie," and Hamshahri, rear, with title: "Attack on writer of Satanic Verses," are pictured in Tehran Saturday, Aug. 13, 2022. Rushdie, whose novel “The Satanic Verses” drew death threats from Iran’s leader in the 1980s, was stabbed in the neck and abdomen Friday by a man who rushed the stage as the author was about to give a lecture in western New York. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Rushdie, 75, was stabbed at least twice on stage at the Chautauqua Institution before he was slated to give a lecture, New York state police said Friday.
When "The Satanic Verses” was published, it almost immediately set off angry demonstrations. What was — and still is — behind this outrage?
The attack on Salman Rushdie promptly led to speculation on whether the attacker had been influenced by the 1989 fatwa against the author. A scholar explains what a fatwa is — and isn’t.
Andrew Wylie told the Spanish language newspaper El Pais in an article that Rushdie suffered three serious wounds to his neck and 15 wounds to his chest and torso.