Knife

“What do you do with a second opportunity? How do you make the most of it?” Salman Rushdie tackles this profound question after surviving a brutal attack, turning his near-death experience into a story of resilience, recovery, and the enduring fight for freedom.

1. The attack: 27 seconds of horror

On August 12, 2022, Salman Rushdie stood onstage, about to discuss safe spaces for writers in America. He never got the chance. A knife-wielding attacker charged and, in a mere 27 seconds, stabbed Rushdie about fifteen times. The attack left him with life-threatening injuries, including a damaged liver, wounds to his neck, and the loss of his right eye.

As he lay on the floor, disoriented and bleeding, Rushdie’s immediate concern was not his lifeblood draining away but the odd minutiae of life—his loved ones, his suit being cut apart, his wallet and keys. This moment of surreal clarity underscored the unpredictability and fragility of life.

The attacker, a 24-year-old man, acted on the fatwa issued by Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini in 1988 against Rushdie for his novel The Satanic Verses. Despite this prolonged threat, Rushdie had long lived without constant fear, making this vicious assault all the more shocking.

Examples

• Rushdie was airlifted to a trauma center in Erie, Pennsylvania, moments from death.
• He later learned that his assailant admired Khomeini and radical ideologies.
• The attack coincided eerily with a dream Rushdie had of being repeatedly stabbed.

2. Waking from trauma

Recovering in the hospital, Rushdie experienced a surreal blend of nightmares and reality. In a haze of painkillers, his mind wandered to worlds of letters and stories, a refuge that reminded him of his identity as a storyteller.

His injuries became apparent as the fog cleared: a mutilated face, a useless hand, and blindness in one eye. Yet, even in immense physical pain, tiny victories emerged. He began breathing without a ventilator and communicating with loved ones, showing an inherent resilience.

As he understood the extent of his survival, Rushdie reflected on the odds-defying nature of his experience. His wife Eliza and his children became his anchors during this initial recovery. Their unflagging support helped him both emotionally and logistically during rounds of police interviews and the documentation of his condition.

Examples

• Doctors had not expected him to survive the multiple surgeries required to save him.
• Rushdie marveled at the coincidence of surviving to see August 15, the birthday of the protagonist in Midnight’s Children.
• His family undertook a herculean effort to reach him immediately after the attack, providing critical comfort.

3. A painful journey through rehabilitation

Rushdie’s next stop was a rehabilitation facility in New York City. He arrived under a shroud of secrecy, hospitalized as if dead to avoid unwanted attention. The physical and psychological challenges that followed often felt insurmountable.

Basic functions like walking and using the bathroom had to be relearned. Medication-induced issues made his recovery feel like one setback after another, and his nights were plagued by traumatic nightmares. Yet, there were moments of dark humor—he likened his healing powers to Wolverine, joking with his son Milan about his ability to endure.

The rehabilitation process demanded patience. With the help of occupational therapists, Rushdie began mastering life with one functional hand while struggling to accept the impending loss of vision in his right eye. Still, he remained hopeful, leaning on Eliza for strength.

Examples

• Rushdie needed dozens of therapy sessions to regain partial mobility in his left hand.
• He endured routine macular degeneration treatments on his left eye to preserve vision.
• Milan’s visits uplifted his spirits, helping him reframe his survival as miraculous.

4. Reclaiming independence

Moving into a friend’s apartment signaled a new stage in recovery—a shift from medical oversight to self-rehabilitation. Here, Rushdie encountered moments of joy amidst the difficulties of rebuilding his physical abilities.

Working closely with a hand therapist, he endured agonizing exercises for months to regain some use of his damaged left hand. It was six months before he could perform simple tasks like tying his shoes or typing.

This period also coincided with the release of Victory City, a novel he completed before the attack. On Valentine’s Day 2023, he celebrated its publication with Eliza by dining at a restaurant. The date also marked the 34th anniversary of the fatwa, adding layers of symbolic meaning to their first public outing.

Examples

• Constant grinding work with his therapist eventually enabled him to grip a glass of water.
• He celebrated a meaningful milestone with Eliza, choosing love over fear.
• The anniversary of the fatwa allowed him to reflect on the persistence of art over violence.

5. Grappling with the assailant’s motivations

Rushdie attempted to comprehend his attacker’s perspective through an imaginative exercise. The man, dubbed "the A.," had only two pages of The Satanic Verses as context and was emboldened by extremist YouTube content.

Imagining a dialogue, Rushdie explored how his attacker might justify his actions. He challenged the A.’s convictions, questioning the reliability of “truth” distorted through translations of religious texts and manipulated narratives. The exercise revealed the futility of rationalizing with blind hatred.

Ultimately, Rushdie abandoned the effort, focusing instead on broader themes of ideological manipulation. He drew on Bertrand Russell’s observation: those who harbor cruelty often believe in a cruel deity, reflecting their own mindsets.

Examples

• The assailant’s radicalization stemmed from his time in Lebanon and online propaganda.
• Rushdie questioned the misinterpretation of religious texts during the imagined debate.
• The futility of reasoning spurred reflections on extremism in the digital age.

6. A second chance at life

Despite Kundera’s poetic notion of life as a one-time occurrence, Rushdie saw his survival as a new chapter. The gift of a second chance carried both a renewed purpose and a burden of responsibility.

He resolved to fight against forces that suppress freedom: oppressive regimes, political manipulation of religion, and the proliferation of disinformation. Rushdie also revisited contemporary tragedies like Charlie Hebdo, noting the insidious link between modern technology and radicalization.

To truly embrace this chapter, he returned to Chautauqua—the stage where he nearly lost his life. Standing there brought a quiet peace, a moment that reaffirmed the primacy of love and resilience.

Examples

• Rushdie’s return to Chautauqua was a pilgrimage, reclaiming the space through solidarity.
• He connected his experience to broader issues of disinformation and extremism.
• Through love with Eliza, he found strength and a path toward emotional closure.

Takeaways

1. Find strength in loved ones during moments of hardship. Reaching out for emotional support can make a significant difference.
2. Embrace resilience by focusing on small victories during recovery—milestones, no matter how minor, inspire progress.
3. Stand for freedom and truth even in the face of opposition. Use your talents and voice to fight against injustice and violence.