Archbishop of Canterbury revokes award from Pakistani cleric who praised Osama bin Laden

The Archbishop of Canterbury has withdrawn an award he had given to a Muslim cleric who made praising statements about Osama bin Laden, according to reports released on Thursday. Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, a Pakistani cleric, received the Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation from Lambeth Palace, the residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury, last Friday.

Ashrafi served as the chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council, an Islamic umbrella group composed of scholars from various Islamic traditions. The Archbishop's office stated that Ashrafi was honored for his "outstanding work as an ambassador of interfaith harmony in Pakistan, known for his commitment to promoting religious tolerance." The ceremony took place on the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City.

However, the Archbishop later announced the withdrawal of the award due to Ashrafi's past comments. In 2007, Ashrafi praised bin Laden, the mastermind behind the 9/11 terrorist attacks, as someone who was "fighting for Islam against the Russians, Americans, and British." He also suggested bestowing the title "Saifullah" – meaning "sword of God" – upon bin Laden.

The resurfacing of these comments led to backlash against Lambeth Palace, and the award was subsequently withdrawn. The palace emphasized that while it is crucial to engage in interfaith dialogue and cooperation despite differences, Ashrafi's prior statements warranted reconsideration. The palace also contacted Ashrafi to inform him of the decision.

Ashrafi denied that his 2007 remarks were taken out of context and dismissed the backlash as an "unfair campaign" against him. He claimed that his comments were made in response to the hurt felt by many Muslims following the British government's decision to knight the author Salman Rushdie, known for his controversial book "The Satanic Verses."

Ashrafi also faced criticism for his support of Pakistan's blasphemy laws, which have been widely criticized by human rights groups for perpetuating religious discrimination and being used against minority communities.