The Invasion of Islam

In early 1990, the wounded spirit of Islam seemed to be healing. Islam appeared to be moving toward a semblance of equilibrium. The present chapter deals with the continuing Islamic debate over Rushdie. As time passed, the tumult surrounding The Satanic Verses was bound to fade in the collective memory of Islam. The Rushdie affair personalized the larger issue of Iran's future role as the self-styled fortress of Islam. The renewed dialogue between Islamic Iran and the Muslim Brethren could be read as further evidence of the cooling of Iran's zeal. The riyal-fueled networks of Islamic patronage had served the Saudis well in the past. For a full decade, the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina had been a tinderbox of conflict and a faithful reflection of the divided state of Islam. By early September, the prominent Islamic movements and leaders had declared their positions on the crisis.