The Satanic Verses

The Satanic Verses Summary | Plot Summary

The story of The Satanic Verses chronicles an ancient legend about the Prophet Muhammad, founder of the Islamic religion. Legend has it that Muhammad, who received the Word of God directly from the Archangel Gabriel, was one day tricked by the devil into including satanic verses in the holy book of the Qur'an. Salman Rushdie's fictional version of this tale features the Prophet Mahound, founder of a religion called Submission. The social and political pressures faced by the very human Mahound tempt him to speak false verses to the people of Jahilia in the hopes of gaining personal power and prestige. Mahound repents of his actions and recants the satanic verses. His disciples applaud his courage in standing up to the pressures placed upon him by the evil Grandee of Jahilia and his beautiful wife, Hind. As Mahound's power grows, he triumphs over his former enemies and all the citizens of Jahilia become his converts. The beautiful, yet vicious, Hind seeks revenge against the prophet. She kills him on behalf of the goddess Al-Lat, but her revenge comes too late. Mahound's death does not stop the spread of Submission and he leaves behind countless followers to continue along his path.

The story of the prophet is the heart and soul of the novel, but it is just one of many stories in this ambitious, sweeping saga. The primary plot line, from which all of the other tales spring, is the story of Saladin Chamcha and Gibreel Farishta. These two men, both Indians and both actors, are in every other respect polar opposites. Together, they miraculously survive a fall from an exploding airplane, yet their survival comes at a price. When they wake up on the shores of the English Channel, they find themselves transformed. Farishta has taken on the appearance of an angel and Chamcha has grown the horns and cloven hoofs of the devil. Through this remarkable story of transformation, the author explores the prejudices which immigrants face in the Western world. Ultimately, it is clear that appearances can be deceiving, since Farishta's angelic aspect masks a violent rage. Saladin Chamcha's satanic look proves to be merely a projection of the negative image he harbors about his Indian roots. By the end of the novel, Chamcha decides he will not be judged by his looks and embraces the ethnic diversity which he once found loathsome. Through these two memorable characters, The Satanic Verses explores a peaceful resolution of the tensions caused by the collision of two religions and two diverse cultures.