Additional Coverage:
- Archbishop of Canterbury withdraws award from Muslim cleric after past Osama bin Laden praise surfaces (foxnews.com)
The Archbishop of Canterbury’s office has rescinded an interfaith award previously presented to Muslim cleric Maulana Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi after past remarks praising Osama bin Laden came to light.
Ashrafi was honored last Friday at Lambeth Palace with the Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation, in a ceremony coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. However, Lambeth Palace announced on Thursday that they had reconsidered the decision following the discovery of Ashrafi’s earlier comments.
In a statement, Lambeth Palace reaffirmed its commitment to interfaith dialogue, emphasizing the importance of engaging across deeply-held differences. Nevertheless, the statement explained that previous statements made by Imam Ashrafi prompted the withdrawal of the award. The Archbishop’s office has informed Ashrafi of this decision.
The award had initially been granted in recognition of Ashrafi’s long-standing support for religious minorities in Pakistan, particularly the Christian community, and his efforts to promote religious tolerance.
Reports indicate that in 2007, Ashrafi referred to bin Laden as someone “fighting for Islam against the Russians, Americans and British” and even suggested awarding him the title “Saifullah,” meaning “Sword of God.” Ashrafi later maintained that his remarks were “totally taken out of context” and described the backlash as an “unfair campaign,” explaining that his comments were made in response to Muslim grievances over the British government’s knighting of Salman Rushdie, author of The Satanic Verses.
During last week’s ceremony, the Archbishop’s office had praised Ashrafi as an ambassador of interfaith harmony in Pakistan, recognizing his dedication to fostering religious tolerance. Despite the award’s withdrawal, Lambeth Palace expressed ongoing prayers for the Christian community in Pakistan and for those working toward interfaith understanding worldwide.