Salman Rushdie, born on June 19, 1947, in Bombay (now Mumbai), India, is a British-American novelist and essayist of Indian origin, renowned for his magical realism and controversial themes. Rushdie’s works often explore the complexities of identity, migration, and religion, making him one of the most influential literary figures of modern times. His second novel, Midnight’s Children (1981), won the Booker Prize and is widely regarded as a masterpiece, chronicling India’s transition from British colonial rule to independence. His other notable works include The Satanic Verses (1988), The Moor’s Last Sigh (1995), The Ground Beneath Her Feet (1999), and The Golden House (2017).

Rushdie’s novel The Satanic Verses sparked widespread controversy among some Muslim communities due to its portrayal of Islamic themes, leading to a fatwa being issued against him by Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini in 1989. Despite the threats to his life, Rushdie continued to write and advocate for freedom of expression. His memoir, Joseph Anton (2012), details his experiences living under police protection after the fatwa.

In February 2023, BOOM fact-checked a viral post that attributed an anti-Islam quote to Rushdie.

BOOM found out that the quote was falsely attributed, confirming that Rushdie never made any such statement. This clarification helped counter misinformation related to the author’s views.