The Satanic Verses, a comic novel by British author Salman Rushdie, set off a furor upon its publication in 1989. The book—which has since been banned in over twenty countries—was seen by Muslims as a defamation of Islam because it called into question the veracity of the prophet Muhammad’s decrees. Soon after the book was published, Iranian president Ayatollah Khomeini issued an edict condemning Rushdie to death, and the Iranian Khordad Foundation offered a $2.5 million award to anyone who would carry out Rushdie’s murder. For nine years, Rushdie, an ex- Muslim who was born in India, lived like a fugitive. Then, in September 1998, the Iranian government lifted the edict, stating that it would no longer threaten Rushdie’s life or assist anyone else in doing so.

For many, the...