Acclaimed novelist Salman Rushdie recently recounted the harrowing details of a violent attack that nearly cost him his life during a public appearance in August 2022. Speaking at the trial of his alleged assailant, 23-year-old Hadi Matar, Rushdie described the terrifying moment when Matar stormed the stage at an arts event in New York State, wielding a knife and inflicting severe injuries. Rushdie, author of the controversial novel The Satanic Verses, explained how the attack left him blind in one eye and subjected him to immense physical and emotional trauma. The incident has reignited debates about free speech, religious sensitivities, and the lingering consequences of a decades-old fatwa issued against Rushdie by Iran’s leadership.
Rushdie’s testimony painted a vivid and deeply personal picture of the events that unfolded. He recalled how he was about to speak at the event when Matar attacked him from the right side, stabbing and slashing at him repeatedly. “I was aware of this person rushing at me on my right-hand side,” Rushdie said, noting that he only saw his attacker at the last moment. The assault left him with a stab wound in his eye, which he described as “intensely painful.” He remembered screaming in agony and lying in a “lake of blood” before being airlifted to a trauma hospital. At one point, Rushdie said, it “occurred to me I was dying.” His chilling account brought the courtroom to a somber silence, as jurors and onlookers absorbed the gravity of his ordeal.
Matar, who is accused of stabbing Rushdie approximately 10 times with a 6-inch blade, has been charged with attempted murder. His legal team has sought to frame the case in a way that avoids characterizing Rushdie as a victim of persecution, despite the historical context of the 1989 fatwa issued by Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini. The fatwa, which called for Rushdie’s execution over alleged blasphemy in The Satanic Verses, has cast a long shadow over the author’s life for decades. Matar, who has expressed support for Palestine and criticized Rushdie’s portrayal of Islam, reportedly became more radicalized after a 2018 trip to the Middle East. His lawyers have suggested that authorities made assumptions about his motivations, while prosecutors argue the case is “open and shut.”
Rushdie, now 77, detailed the extent of his injuries and the arduous recovery process during his testimony. The attack severed the optical nerve in his right eye, leaving him blind in that eye permanently. He described how the eye was stitched shut to allow it to heal, a procedure he called “quite painful.” In addition to the eye injury, Rushdie suffered a deep gash in his neck that required metal staples, a partially lacerated Adam’s apple, and injuries to his liver and small bowel. He also sustained hand injuries while attempting to defend himself, which left him struggling with everyday tasks, such as squeezing toothpaste onto a toothbrush. Despite the severity of his wounds, Rushdie managed to utter, “I can speak,” as he regained the ability to talk—a moment that brought stifled laughter from the jurors.
The trial has also highlighted the bravery of bystanders who intervened to subdue Matar. Venue employee Jordan Steves testified that he used his shoulder to tackle the attacker, helping others overpower him. Steves pointed to Matar in court, identifying him as the man responsible for the attack. Meanwhile, Deborah Moore Kushmaul, another employee, retrieved the discarded knife and handed it to police. These acts of courage likely prevented further harm to Rushdie and others present at the event. The collective efforts of strangers who risked their own safety to save Rushdie underscore the resilience of humanity in the face of violence.
The attack on Rushdie has sparked renewed global debate about free speech, censorship, and the risks faced by artists and writers who challenge religious or cultural norms. For years, Rushdie has been a polarizing figure, celebrated by advocates of free expression and condemned by those who view his work as offensive to Islam. The Satanic Verses, published in 1988, sparked widespread protests and led to the fatwa that forced Rushdie into hiding for over a decade. Despite living relatively normally in New York for the past 20 years, the attack has served as a stark reminder of the enduring tensions between artistic freedom and religious sensitivities. In his recent memoir, Knife, Rushdie reflects on his near-death experience and the broader implications of living under the constant threat of violence. The trial of Hadi Matar continues to unfold, but for Rushdie, the scars of that day—both physical and emotional—will remain a lasting testament to the high cost of speaking truth to power.
