ABSTRACT
Although Khomeini's fatwa of February 14 was not phrased in legal terms, the charge against Rushdie and all those involved in its publication who were aware of its content is clear; those among them who were Muslims are now apostates (murtadd). In effect, Khomeini's edict declared them mahdur ad-damm, he whose blood is invalid or forfeit. The life of an individual whose blood is forfeit no longer enjoys the protection of the authorities; he can be killed without penalty. But no matter how valid these Muslim criticisms of Khomeini, they concerned differences of procedure, not of substance. The Iranian charge d'affaires in London stated unequivocally that Khomeini saw the punishment of Rushdie as much more important than relations between two countries. Significantly, Khomeini did not assign the duty of killing Rushdie to the Iranian government but relied on the media to carry his words to the ears of potential assassins.
