Islam: Uh, no, not necessarily, unless we were in an Islamic state and I was ordered by a judge or by the authority to carry out such an act – perhaps, yes. Robertson: And do you have a duty to be his executioner? Robertson: You don't think that this man deserves to die? Islam would later clarify the exchanges as 'stupid and offensive jokes' made 'in bad taste', but 'part of a well-known British national trait. In the episode 'A Satanic Scenario', Islam had an exchange about the issue with the moderator and Queen's Counsel Geoffrey Robertson. Two months later, Islam appeared on an Australian television programme, ABC's Geoffrey Robertson's Hypotheticals, an occasional broadcast featuring a panel of notable guests to explore a hypothetical situation with moral, ethical and/or political dilemmas. Newspapers quickly denounced what was seen as Yusuf Islam's support for the killing of Rushdie and the next day, he released a statement saying that he was not personally encouraging anybody to be a vigilante, and that he was only stating that blasphemy is a capital offence according to the Qur'an. The Qur'an makes it clear – if someone defames the prophet, then he must die.' On 21 February 1989, Yusuf Islam addressed students at Kingston Polytechnic (now Kingston University) in London about his conversion to Islam and was asked about the controversy in the Muslim world and the fatwa calling for Salman Rushdie's execution. 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.

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. His statements generated criticism from commentators in the West. Following Ayatollah Khomeini's 14 February 1989 death fatwa against author Salman Rushdie, after the publication of Rushdie's novel The Satanic Verses, Yusuf Islam (previously known as Cat Stevens), made statements endorsing the killing of Rushdie.

Salman rushdie the satanic