Cat Stevens's comments about Salman Rushdie

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Following Ayatollah Khomeini's 14 February 1989 death fatwa against author Salman Rushdie, after the publication of Rushdie's novel The Satanic Verses, British musician Yusuf Islam (previously and better known by his stage name Cat Stevens) made statements endorsing the killing of Rushdie, generating sharp criticism from commentators in the West. In response, Yusuf Islam said that some of his comments were "stupid and offensive jokes" made in "bad taste", while others were merely giving his interpretation of Islamic law but not advocating any action. Islam also said that later in the same programme he promised to accept the judgment of a British court if it found Rushdie innocent of any crime, blasphemy or otherwise.

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