Who is Hadi Matar, the man who stabbed British author Salman Rushdie? What is the connection between the novel "The Satanic Verses" and this incident? These questions dominated discussions yesterday in his hometown, Yaroun, as well as in the media. Although Hadi Matar holds American citizenship, his roots are Lebanese, from the border town of Yaroun, which has brought media attention to the town.
Yaroun, located in southern Lebanon, is the hometown of Hadi Matar, who attacked Salman Rushdie with 15 stab wounds in New York, despite the fact that Matar has never visited the town himself. His father, Hassan, lives there in isolation, tending to his livestock, while his partner, Silvana Fardous, lives with Hadi and their daughters in New Jersey.
No one in Yaroun knows the 24-year-old Hadi; he was born and raised in New Jersey with his mother and sisters after she separated from his father, who returned to Lebanon several years ago. Who is Hadi Matar? Who is his father? What motivated him to stab author Salman Rushdie? And does anyone in his hometown of Yaroun, which he has never visited, know him?
As one travels towards Yaroun, a series of questions arise: What were Hadi's motivations for stabbing Rushdie? Was "The Satanic Verses" the reason, or were there other motives? At the entrance to the town, cypress trees greet you as you proceed to the heart of this small town, where Islamic-Christian coexistence is apparent. The townspeople unite in all aspects of life; their holidays and celebrations are shared. Notably, Yaroun has experienced urban development, with paved roads and independence regarding water sources, as residents rely on their own wells.
At the entrance of Yaroun, a sign reading "I love Yaroun" welcomes visitors as they enter the old village square. Only the elderly sit on the benches, exchanging conversations. Hadi Matar occupies part of this gathering, even though they do not recognize him. They heard about him in the news. Even the town's mayor was surprised to learn that Hadi Matar is from Yaroun, thinking for a moment that he was from another village, as he has never known him. All the mayor knows is that Hadi's parents have been separated for a long time and that his father lives in isolation.
The mayor adds, "Hadi lives in America; he was born there, studied there, and perhaps works there too, and holds American citizenship." This is all he knows, and the people of the town agree that Hadi has never visited Yaroun and that they do not know him at all; they learned about him through the media, according to Jad, who owns one of the shops in the town.
The residents of Yaroun admit they are unaware of Hadi's motivations for stabbing Rushdie, and while everyone links the incident to "The Satanic Verses," they collectively assert that Hadi has no ties to any organization in Lebanon, having spent his life in America.
Ali Tohfa, the mayor of Yaroun, confirmed that Hadi lives with his mother in New Jersey and that his father lives in isolation in Yaroun. He noted that the parents have been divorced for some time and that both are originally from Yaroun. Otherwise, he knows nothing else at all.
Most town residents refuse to delve into the details of this case, and Hadi's mother, according to the mayor, requested not to make any media statements because Hadi’s situation is extremely sensitive. This has led the townspeople to refrain from discussing the matter until Hadi’s fate is clarified.
Certainly, everyone was surprised by Hadi’s actions. Few are familiar with "The Satanic Verses" and its author Salman Rushdie; however, Hadi has revived awareness of this novel and prompted everyone to question whether Hadi carried out Rushdie's death sentence or if his actions were a personal interpretation.
