Lambeth Palace revokes cleric’s award over ‘obscene’ Osama bin Laden remarks | News UK

The Archbishop of Canterbury’s office has revoked an award given to a Muslim cleric on the 25th anniversary of 9/11 due to Osama bin Laden comments.

Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi was given The Hubert Walter Award on Friday by Dame Sarah Mullally for reconciliation and interfaith co-operation.

However, in 2007, when serving as head of the Pakistan Ulema Council group of Islamic clerics and scholars, he had said Bin Laden should be given the title Saifullah.

This means ‘Sword of God’, which he said would be for ‘serving Muslims by waging jihad against infidelsserving Muslims by waging jihad against infidels’.

Ashrafi was pictured at Lambeth Palace, the Archbishop’s London home, as he was recognised ‘for his outstanding work as an ambassador of interfaith harmony in Pakistan.’

However, the National Secular Society (NSS) criticised the award after previous comments about Osama bin Laden resurfaced.

The society called it ‘obscene, and almost beyond parody’, especially on such an important anniversary of the World Trade Center tragedy.

The terror attacks in New York in 2001 killed almost 3,000 people, including 87 British citizens, when Al Qaida flew two planes into the Twin Towers.

‘Previous comments made by Imam Ashrafi have come to light that have led Lambeth Palace to reconsider this award and we can now confirm today that the award has been withdrawn,’ Lambeth Palace stated.

At the time of the award, the palace had said: ‘It is a longstanding principle of interfaith dialogue and co-operation that we must engage with one another across deeply-held differences, and that remains the case.’

A representative for Ashrafi has since said the remarks were taken out of context and he had originally said them at a protest against Salman Rushdie’s knighthood.

He explained to the Press Association that he was ‘giving an example’ to show the scale of the offence caused to Muslims by the Satanic Verses author receiving that honour.

His spokesperson said: ‘Regarding Osama bin Laden, Ashrafi’s remarks have been presented without their proper context. His comparison was not an endorsement of bin Laden; it was made in the context of explaining the hurt felt by many Muslims over the British honour given to Salman Rushdie.

‘His longstanding record against terrorism and violent extremism should be considered when assessing such remarks.’

No title was ever given to Osama bin Laden, who was killed on May 2, 2011, during a US military operation.

Ashrafi’s spokesperson added that criticism was aimed at his wife and daughter, who wear traditional religious attire.

He said: ‘The decision of Ashrafi’s wife and daughter to observe hijab is their personal and religious right. Ashrafi also dedicated his recent Hubert Walter Award to his wife, acknowledging her support and contribution throughout his work.’

The NSS executive Stephen Evans said: ‘We welcome the withdrawal of this award, but it is astonishing that it was given in the first place – on the anniversary of 9/11, no less.

‘This episode reveals not only appallingly poor judgement and inadequate due diligence, but a dangerous naivety about the religious figures legitimised through interfaith engagement.

‘A Church capable of such a serious failure of judgement should not enjoy constitutional privilege, including 26 bishops making our laws. It is time the Church of England was disestablished.’

Ashrafi was awarded alongside 26 other individuals who had made ‘extraordinary contributions to the Church of England, the Anglican Communion and wider society’.

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