Salman Rushdie's Revelation: A Premonition Before the Life-Altering Attack

Renowned author Salman Rushdie shared more details about the knife attack that caused him to lose vision in one eye during an interview on CBS' "60 Minutes." He mentioned having a feeling that something bad was going to happen just days before the incident.

This was Rushdie's first TV interview since he was stabbed multiple times on stage right before he was scheduled to give a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution in New York in August 2022. During the interview with Anderson Cooper, the Indian-born writer revealed that he had dreams of being attacked in an amphitheater prior to the event.

“I said to my wife, Eliza, ‘I don’t want to go’ because of the dream. And then I thought, ‘Don’t be silly, it’s a dream,’” he recalled.

From Simon & Schuster/Penguin Random House/HarperCollins Publishers

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In a recent interview, Rushdie shared with the BBC that his eye was severely injured during the attack, comparing it to a soft-boiled egg hanging out of its socket. He also expressed how difficult it is for him to cope with the loss of sight in that eye on a daily basis.

The 76-year-old author, known as one of the most significant writers of his generation, has been facing death threats since the publication of his novel "The Satanic Verses" in 1988.

The novel is based on a controversial tale from early Islamic tradition which suggests that Satan interfered with the divine messages to Prophet Mohammed, causing outrage among some Muslims. This led to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini of Iran issuing a fatwa, a religious decree, calling for the author's death.

Violence erupted after the book was published. The Japanese translator was tragically murdered, and there were reports of at least 18 deaths during protests in Mumbai and Islamabad, as reported by Reuters.

Rushdie's memoir detailing the attack and his recovery will be released on Tuesday.

Rushdie's memoir detailing the attack and his recovery will be released on Tuesday.

Kai Pfaffenbach/Pool/Reuters

Rushdie admitted on "60 Minutes" that he had no clue it would lead to violence. He believed that some conservative religious individuals might not approve, but since they never liked his work anyway, he didn't think it would be a big deal.

In hindsight, Rushdie acknowledged that his initial thoughts were likely naive. Despite facing around half a dozen serious threats on his life, he mentioned that nothing like this had ever occurred before. Most of those who criticized the book had not even read it.

Rushdie has written about the 2022 attack and his recovery in a new memoir titled "Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder." At first, he was hesitant to write it but later felt compelled to share his experience. The memoir will be released on Tuesday.

Hadi Matar, the man who stabbed Rushdie and another person on stage, has pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree attempted murder and second-degree assault.

Matar’s trial was initially scheduled for January 8 but the court granted a request for its delay earlier that month, his attorney Nathaniel Barone told CNN at the time.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 18: Salman Rushdie attends the 2023 PEN America Literary Gala at American Museum of Natural History on May 18, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for PEN America)

Salman Rushdie was spotted at the 2023 PEN America Literary Gala held at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City on May 18, 2023. The event was a star-studded affair with many notable guests in attendance.

One of the images captured during the gala featured Salman Rushdie. The photo was taken by Jamie McCarthy and released by PEN America/Getty Images. Rushdie looked dapper and elegant as he mingled with other guests at the prestigious literary event.

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Barone clarified that the delay in the trial was not due to Rushdie's upcoming memoir. However, he mentioned that according to the New York State Criminal Procedure Law, the Defense is entitled to all information related to the drafting and publication of the book.

During an interview on "60 Minutes," Rushdie shared that when he saw the attacker approaching the stage before the incident, it felt like a force from the past trying to pull him back in time to that moment, almost as if it wanted to harm him.

The Booker Prize-winning author revealed that he was stabbed 15 times in just 27 seconds by his attacker. He mentioned that the attack only ceased when audience members intervened and pulled the attacker away.

Recalling the harrowing experience, Rushdie shared, "I witnessed the blood spreading and had the thought that I might be dying." Despite the severity of the situation, he described his reaction as rather matter-of-fact. Rushdie explained, "I wasn't filled with terror, there were no heavenly visions or gates. I still hold the belief that death marks the end, and this incident didn't alter my perspective on that."

Since surviving the attack, he said he isn’t “very different” but that it “has left a shadow.”

“Some days it’s dark and some days it’s not. I feel more the presence of death.”

CNN’s Michelle Watson, Tamara Qiblawi and Zeena Saifi contributed reporting.

Editor's P/S:

The attempted murder