Where’s Raza Khan?

Vincent J. Curtis

15 Aug 22.

RE: Attempted murder of Salmon Rushdie

In the wake of the attempted murder of British author Salmon Rushdie, I’d expect to hear something from the redoubtable Raza Khan, sometime spokesman of the Muslima Association of Hamilton.  I’d expect to hear either a robust denunciation of the attempt, an endorsement of free speech, or a warning against the Islamophobia inherent in drawing larger conclusions from the attempt on Rushdie’s life.

Salmon Rushdie published The Satanic Verses in 1989, and a fatwa against him was issued by Iranian Ayatollah Khomeini because Rushdie allegedly blasphemed Islam.  A bounty of $3 million dollars was offered for Rushdie’s assassination, and Rushdie went into hiding for decades under official UK police protection.  A few translators and publishers of Rushdie’s book were, however, assassinated over the years.

An excitable person might believe that, given the failed assassin was a young Muslim lad, an Islamic honor killing was at play on the attempt on Rushdie’s life. Reassuring words from Dr. Khan might calm some nerves.  True, the police have discovered no motivation for the crime, but those inclined to Islamophobic conclusions need to hear reassuring words – or a warning - from Hamilton’s Islamic spokesman.

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