Ayatollah Khomeini and ‘The Satanic Verses’

“The Satanic Verses” has created commotion and furor throughout the world. We think that this book is blasphemous, disparaging and totally baseless.

What has enraged the Islamic world is that under the false guise of a novel, the book makes untrue and derogatory attacks on the Holy Koran, our Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him), his wives, his companions and even on Prophet Abraham, who is the prophet of Jews, Christians and Muslims.

In October of last year when we learned that this book was about to be published by Viking-Penguin in the United States, we as an organization, and many individuals, wrote letters of protest to the publisher, requesting that the book not be published and warning of grave consequences should Viking-Penguin decide otherwise. All requests fell on deaf ears. Apparently the publisher was only interested in making money through the sale of this book without regard to the Muslim community’s feelings, for which it is now facing the consequences.

We demand that this book be stopped from further publication both in the United States and in England, and the author submit a written and public apology for writing this book.

The West has always condemned terrorism. Terrorism can take many forms--it can be the blowing up of buildings and airplanes, the killing of innocent civilians, the kidnaping of individuals, or writing malicious literature with “poisoned ink.” Our organization condemns all forms of terrorism including the writing of this book. The civilized world believes that terrorists should be appropriately punished. We feel the same way about this author.

SHAHID F. KHALID

Secretary

Islamic Center of Conejo Valley

Agoura Hills