Breaking News: The Archbishop of Canterbury withdrew an award given to a Muslim cleric after past comments praising Osama bin Laden surfaced.
The Archbishop of Canterbury’s office has rescinded an interfaith award presented to Maulana Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, following the revelation of prior statements where he expressed support for the al-Qaeda leader. The Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation was awarded last Friday at Lambeth Palace, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
The decision to withdraw the award was made after Lambeth Palace became aware of Ashrafi’s previous comments. In 2007, Ashrafi reportedly described Osama bin Laden as fighting “for Islam against the Russians, Americans and British,” and suggested bestowing upon him the title “Saifullah,” meaning “Sword of God,” according to the BBC. The palace stated it remains committed to interfaith dialogue but conceded the earlier comments necessitated a re-evaluation. The award had been given in recognition of Ashrafi’s purported support for religious minorities in Pakistan, specifically the Christian community. Ashrafi claims his remarks were “totally taken out of context” and a response to the knighthood awarded to Salman Rushdie.
The reversal has ignited scrutiny of the Archbishop’s initial decision to honour Ashrafi. Critics question the vetting process employed by Lambeth Palace, given the cleric’s readily available pro-Bin Laden statements. The incident underscores the sensitivities surrounding interfaith engagement and the need for rigorous scrutiny of recipients’ past pronouncements.
Lambeth Palace has contacted Ashrafi to inform him of the decision, stating its continued prayers for the Christian community in Pakistan and for interfaith harmony globally.
Sources: Fox News, The Daily Telegraph, The Jerusalem Post.
