Facts about The Satanic Verses

1. 05

   Japan's translation of The Satanic Verses led to the murder of its Japanese translator, Hitoshi Igarashi, in 1991.

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2. 04

   Riots and protests against The Satanic Verses resulted in deaths in several countries, including Pakistan and India, before the fatwa was issued.

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3. 03

   Published in 1988, The Satanic Verses won the Whitbread Novel Award in that same year, boosting Rushdie's literary profile before the controversy erupted.

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4. 02

   Salman Rushdie wrote The Satanic Verses partly inspired by the historical episode of Muhammad and the Meccan goddesses Al-Lat, Al-Uzza, and Manat.

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5. 01

   Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa calling for Salman Rushdie's death after the publication of The Satanic Verses in 1988.

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