Rushdie questions faith-based solution to extremism
The government’s focus on faith-based groups and schools will not help deal with Islamist extremism in Britain, novelist Salman Rushdie has said.
In an interview on BBC radio, Mr Rushdie said most people of Muslim faith had a range of political and social interests other than their religious beliefs and the government would do well to recognise the difference.
The novelist said the prime minister’s views on religion were “seriously out of step with the country”, adding the inclusive attitude to faith-based groups was a “very bad mistake”.
Mr Rushdie had an order of death, known as a Fatwa, placed on him in 1989 for the allegedly blasphemous The Satanic Verses.
The novelist has attacked Islamic groups for their seemingly hypocritical stance.
He cited a statement in 1989 by Sir Iqbal Sacranie, head of the Muslim Council of Britain, who said death would be “perhaps too easy” for the author.
Mr Rushdie said Sir Iqbal expected The Satanic Verses to be banned under the racial and religious hatred bill, currently making its way through parliament.
Such expectancy demonstrated the kind of “confusion” the government had to deal with when dealing with these people.
But Mr Blair has “explicitly” said the bill would not be used to ban his book, Mr Rushdie said.
The new law will make it an offence to incite religious hatred and applies to comments made in public or the press, as well as in the written word.
Mr Rushdie attacked Islamic groups for failing to represent most Muslims, adding it was a “mistake” to align such people with “the voice of moderation”.
In reply the Muslim Council of Britain said Mr Rushdie had “lost his faith” and that he wanted Muslims to follow his disillusionment with religion.
