What is Obscurantism? Emmanuel Macron leads world leaders in condemning gruesome attack upon Salman Rushdie × Follow Us Create Notifications New User posted their first comment this is comment text Link Approve Reject & ban Delete Log in Manage your profile Editing Story Queue Video Queue Editing Stats Writer Home SEO Redirection Admin Gaming Wiki Edits Taxonomy Home Edit Site Menu Mapping Dashboard Tag Pages Community Social Feed Queue Feed Center Notification Center Affiliate Home Manage Pages Bottom Tagline Dash Timeless Stories Logout SK POP Feature What is Obscurantism Emmanuel Macron leads world leaders in condemning gruesome attack upon Salman Rushdie By Barsha Roy Modified 13 Aug 2022 Follow Us Comment Share France President Emmanuel Macron condemned the attack against Salman Rushdie (Image via Getty Images) Award-winning author Salman Rushdie was rushed to the hospital after being stabbed onstage during an ongoing event at the Chautauqua Institution in New York City on Friday, August 12. The attacker was detained right after the incident and later identified as 24-year-old New Jersey resident Hadi Matar. The New York State Police reported that Matar stabbed the author “at least once in the neck and at least once in the abdomen.” Rushdie’s agent Andrew Wylie later told The New York Times that the author suffered severe injuries, failed to speak and was also put on a ventilator: “The news is not good. Salman will likely lose one eye, the nerves in his arm were severed and his liver was stabbed and damaged.” In the wake of the horrific incident, France President Emmanuel Macron took to Twitter to condemn the attack on Rushdie. He praised the writer for embodying “freedom” and fighting against “obscurantism” and called out the “cowardly forces” that encouraged the attack for “hatred and barbarism.” Macron also said that Rushdie’s fight is “universal” and people will continue to “stand by his side”: Emmanuel Macron@EmmanuelMacronFor 33 years, Salman Rushdie has embodied freedom and the fight against obscurantism. He has just been the victim of a cowardly attack by the forces of hatred and barbarism. His fight is our fight; it is universal. Now more than ever, we stand by his side.9688019161For 33 years, Salman Rushdie has embodied freedom and the fight against obscurantism. He has just been the victim of a cowardly attack by the forces of hatred and barbarism. His fight is our fight; it is universal. Now more than ever, we stand by his side. Since 1989, Salman Rushdie has been living under a fatwa issued by former Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Khomeini. The religious ruling was made after the publication of his book The Satanic Verses, parts of which were allegedly declared blasphemous by some people. At the time, Khomeini also announced a $3 million bounty for any individual who would kill Rushdie. Although Iran’s 1998 President Mohammad Khatami said that his regime “neither support nor hinder assassination operations on Rushdie,” the fatwa was not officially withdrawn and continued to remain active. Exploring the meaning of the term Obscurantism Obscurantism can be defined as the practice of knowingly preventing the spread of knowledge of facts or complete details about something. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, it is the “opposition to the spread of knowledge” or a particular policy of “withholding knowledge from the general public.” Vocabulary also defines obscurantism as a “policy of opposition to enlightenment or the spread of knowledge” and mentions that involves a deliberate or intentional attempt to make something obscure or vague in nature. The Collins Dictionary adds that the term is used to describe the method of making something “vague and difficult to understand” in order to “prevent people from finding out the truth.” World leaders and authors condemn attack against Salman Rushdie Prominent world leaders and authors called out the brutal stabbing attack against Salman Rushdie (Image via Getty Images) In the wake of the brutal stabbing attack against Salman Rushdie, several world leaders and fellow authors took to social media to condemn the incident. After France President Emmanuel Macron spoke out against the attack, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson shared that he was “appalled” with the situation: Boris Johnson@BorisJohnsonAppalled that Sir Salman Rushdie has been stabbed while exercising a right we should never cease to defend. Right now my thoughts are with his loved ones. We are all hoping he is okay.100351323Appalled that Sir Salman Rushdie has been stabbed while exercising a right we should never cease to defend. Right now my thoughts are with his loved ones. We are all hoping he is okay. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres echoed similar sentiments in his official statement issued by a spokesperson: “The Secretary-General was appalled to learn of the attack on renowned novelist Salman Rushdie. In no case is violence a response to words spoken or written by others in their exercise of the freedoms of opinion and expression.” White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said he was praying for Rushdie’s recovery while former British chancellor Rishi Sunak shared that he would keep the author in his thoughts: Jake Sullivan@JakeSullivan46The attack on Salman Rushdie is appalling. We’re all praying for his speedy recovery. And we’re thankful to good citizens and first responders for helping him so swiftly.1980253The attack on Salman Rushdie is appalling. We’re all praying for his speedy recovery. And we’re thankful to good citizens and first responders for helping him so swiftly. Rishi Sunak@RishiSunakShocked to hear of the attack on Salman Rushdie in New York. A champion of free speech and artistic freedom. He’s in our thoughts tonight.118951643Shocked to hear of the attack on Salman Rushdie in New York. A champion of free speech and artistic freedom. He’s in our thoughts tonight. Afghan-American author Khaled Hosseini said he was “horrified” by the attack and writer Taslima Nasreen shared that attacker Hadi Matar's Facebook account reportedly had images of Ayatollah Khomeini: Khaled Hosseini@khaledhosseiniI’m utterly horrified by the cowardly attack on Salman Rushdie. I pray for his recovery. He is an essential voice and cannot be silenced.1940168I’m utterly horrified by the cowardly attack on Salman Rushdie. I pray for his recovery. He is an essential voice and cannot be silenced. taslima nasreen@taslimanasreen24-year-old Iranian-American Hadi Matar attacked Rushdie. Hadi Matar's facebook account featured images of Ayatollah Khomeini, who issued a fatwa against Rusdhie in 1989, and his successor Ayatollah Khamenei. You can now guess the motive of the attack.185635824-year-old Iranian-American Hadi Matar attacked Rushdie. Hadi Matar's facebook account featured images of Ayatollah Khomeini, who issued a fatwa against Rusdhie in 1989, and his successor Ayatollah Khamenei. You can now guess the motive of the attack. Booker Prize-winning Indian author Arundhati Roy told The BBC that she was “speechless with sorrow and anger”: “He has also supported other writers across the world who have been suffering from other sorts of pressures. For something like this to happen to a person like Rushdie, it's really destabilising for a lot of us.” PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel said she was “reeling from shock and horror at word of a brutal, premeditated attack,.” New York Governor Kathy Hochul called the event “horrific” and thanked New York State Police for their swift response: PEN America@PENamerica–@SuzanneNossel, CEO of PEN America, issued the following statement in response to the attack on author @SalmanRushdie:“PEN America is reeling from shock and horror at word of a brutal, premeditated attack on our former President and stalwart ally, Salman Rushdie, who was...1162669–@SuzanneNossel, CEO of PEN America, issued the following statement in response to the attack on author @SalmanRushdie:“PEN America is reeling from shock and horror at word of a brutal, premeditated attack on our former President and stalwart ally, Salman Rushdie, who was... Governor Kathy Hochul@GovKathyHochulThank you to the swift response of @nyspolice & first responders following today's attack of author Salman Rushdie.Our thoughts are with Salman & his loved ones following this horrific event. I have directed State Police to further assist however needed in the investigation.559117Thank you to the swift response of @nyspolice & first responders following today's attack of author Salman Rushdie.Our thoughts are with Salman & his loved ones following this horrific event. I have directed State Police to further assist however needed in the investigation. Other authors like Stephen King, JK Rowling, Ian McEwan, Lisa Appignanesi, Javed Akhtar and Wajahat Ali also condemned the incident and showed their support for Salman Rushdie. Poll : 0 votes Quick Links More from Sportskeeda Edited by Prem Deshpande × Feedback Thank You! Be the first one to comment Follow Us Share Show More Comments GIF Comment in moderation 0 0 Reply x Edit Delete Delete the comment? 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