Salman Rushdie's novel 'The Satanic Verses' is a wild, playful, book, but not especially disrepectful to religion; the "verses" it refers to are themselves derived from an Islamic tradition. But somehow the book came to serve as a touchstone for the anger of British Muslims about their treatment; then was denounced by the Ayatollah Khomeni, who pronounced a death setence on its author; and finally cost Rushie an eye last year when a lunatic attacked him. In this documentary, a younger British Muslim looks at what happened, and asks Muslims today what they think. Interestingly, many of those opposed to the book still defend their positions; and someone he meets in Bradford take the mere raising of the question as offensive in itself. Of course the book itself was an absurd target; but the feelings it still provokes shows the problems of accomodating religion (especially one traditionally practiced elsewhere) in a mostly secular (and partly racist) society.
Review of The Satanic Verses: 30 Years On
The Satanic Verses: 30 Years On
(2019 TV Movie)
30 years on, some problems remain unsolved
16 May 2024