Lambeth Palace has withdrawn an interfaith award given to Pakistani religious leader Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi after earlier comments about Osama bin Laden resurfaced.
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The Archbishop of Canterbury’s office has withdrawn an award presented to Pakistani religious leader Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi just days earlier, after remarks he made about Al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden in 2007 came to light.
Ashrafi received the Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation at Lambeth Palace last week. The award recognized what Lambeth Palace described as his longstanding support for religious minorities in Pakistan, particularly the Christian community.
The timing of the award drew additional attention because it was presented on Sept. 11, the 25th anniversary of the 2001 attacks in the United States.
What prompted the withdrawal?
Lambeth Palace said previous comments by Ashrafi had emerged and prompted a review of the award.
“Previous comments made by Imam Ashrafi have come to light that have led Lambeth Palace to reconsider this award,” the palace said, confirming that the honor had been withdrawn. It added that Ashrafi had been contacted about the decision.
The comments date to 2007, when Ashrafi spoke about bin Laden in the context of Britain’s decision to give author Salman Rushdie a knighthood.
According to contemporary reporting, Ashrafi said he would give bin Laden the title “Saifullah,” or “Sword of Allah,” describing it as a title for a Muslim warrior.
Bin Laden was the founder of Al-Qaeda and was identified by the United States as the mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people. He was killed by U.S. forces in Pakistan in 2011.
How has Ashrafi explained the remarks?
Ashrafi has rejected the interpretation that his 2007 comments amounted to an endorsement of bin Laden.
According to statements attributed to him, he said the remarks were made in response to the British government honoring Rushdie, whose novel The Satanic Verses had caused widespread controversy among Muslims.
His position is that he was drawing a comparison to illustrate the anger among many Muslims over Rushdie receiving a British honor. His spokesperson said the remarks have been presented without their proper context and argued that Ashrafi’s record against terrorism and violent extremism should also be considered.
Ashrafi has also said the title was never actually bestowed on bin Laden.
Why had he received the award?
Lambeth Palace said Ashrafi was honored for his work supporting religious minorities and promoting reconciliation and interfaith cooperation in Pakistan, particularly his support for the Christian community.
The award also referenced his involvement in the 2012 case of Rimsha Masih, a young Christian girl who had been accused of blasphemy in Pakistan.
The case attracted international attention and ultimately became an example frequently cited in discussions about Pakistan’s blasphemy laws and the treatment of religious minorities.
Ashrafi has defended Pakistan’s blasphemy laws while also arguing that they should not be misused. Human Rights Watch has taken a different position, saying the laws can facilitate discrimination and be abused against vulnerable and minority communities.
Reaction in Britain
The withdrawal has been welcomed by critics of the original decision, although some have questioned why Ashrafi was awarded in the first place.
The National Secular Society said the withdrawal was welcome but questioned the decision to present an interfaith award on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.
The controversy has therefore shifted attention from Ashrafi’s earlier comments to the process by which the award was initially granted and the due diligence surrounding his public record.
For Lambeth Palace, the immediate issue is settled: the Hubert Walter Award presented to Ashrafi has been withdrawn. For Ashrafi, meanwhile, the dispute centers on whether his 2007 remarks are being interpreted outside the context in which he made them.
What happens next?
The episode is likely to keep attention focused on the balance between interfaith engagement, historical statements and the public record of religious figures.
Lambeth Palace has not indicated that it is abandoning interfaith engagement. In its statement, it reaffirmed that dialogue and cooperation across deeply held differences remain a longstanding principle.
The controversy instead resulted in a specific decision concerning Ashrafi’s award after previously made comments became known to the palace.
