Salman Rushdie recalls premonition dream before brutal knife attack

Salman Rushdie had a dream he was stabbed before being attacked on stage, sharing chilling details in a recent interview.

Two nights before the horrific attack that left him hospitalized for six weeks, acclaimed author Salman Rushdie had a chilling dream in which he was being stabbed in an amphitheater reminiscent of the Roman Empire. Despite this premonition, Rushdie attended a literary festival in western New York, where he was brutally attacked on stage.

In his first televised interview since the incident, Rushdie recounted the harrowing details of the attack to Anderson Cooper on 60 Minutes. He described how he had dreamt of being pursued by a man with a spear in the Colosseum, a dream that left him shaken but ultimately dismissed as mere fantasy. Little did he know that this dream would foreshadow the violent reality he would face at the festival.

The assailant, identified as Hadi Matar, stabbed Rushdie 10 times in various parts of his body, causing him to lose vision in his right eye and sensation in some fingertips. Despite the severity of his injuries, Rushdie remains resolute in his refusal to give the attacker any more of his time or attention.

In his upcoming memoir, "Knife," Rushdie delves into the 27 seconds he shared with Matar, providing a glimpse into the terrifying encounter that changed his life forever. The attacker, who has pleaded not guilty to charges of assault and attempted murder, awaits trial where Rushdie is expected to testify against him.

The attack on Rushdie, who had been living under the shadow of a fatwa issued by Ayatollah Khomeini in response to his novel "The Satanic Verses," reignited old wounds and raised questions about the lingering threats against the author. Despite the passage of time and the lifting of the fatwa by Iranian authorities in 1998, some extremist groups continue to view Rushdie as a target.

As Rushdie reflects on the motives behind the attack, he remains perplexed by the lack of understanding and justification for such violence. The mystery surrounding Matar's actions only adds to the complexity of the situation, leaving Rushdie to ponder the enigmatic nature of human behavior and the depths of hatred that can drive individuals to commit unspeakable acts.

In the face of adversity, Rushdie's resilience and determination to share his story serve as a testament to the power of words and the enduring spirit of a man who refuses to be silenced by fear or intimidation. His journey from victim to survivor is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the unwavering commitment to stand up against injustice and oppression.