Archbishop of Canterbury Revokes Interfaith Award from Pakistani Cleric Over Bin Laden Comments

The Archbishop of Canterbury has formally rescinded a major interfaith reconciliation prize previously granted to a prominent Pakistani Muslim cleric, following widespread public outcry over past remarks in which he praised the late al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

The controversy centers on Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, who was recently selected to receive the Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation. The award had been presented to the cleric alongside his wife at a ceremony held at Lambeth Palace in London.

The presentation of the honor took place last week during an event that directly coincided with the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States. Those attacks, which were orchestrated by bin Laden in 2001, resulted in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people.

Lambeth Palace was subsequently met with severe criticism after historic statements made by Ashrafi in 2007 resurfaced. In those earlier remarks, the cleric had openly commended bin Laden, characterizing him as a figure who had been actively fighting on behalf of Islam against American, British, and Russian forces.

Historical accounts also revealed that Ashrafi had suggested bin Laden should be bestowed with the prestigious Arabic honorific title of Saifullah, which translates to "Sword of God." The emergence of these past statements triggered immediate scrutiny regarding the vetting process behind the Church of England’s prestigious recognition.

Speaking directly to the BBC regarding the unfolding controversy, Ashrafi rejected the accusations, arguing that his past comments had been entirely stripped of their proper context. He maintained that he was being subjected to an unfair and hostile public campaign intended to undermine his reputation and interfaith credentials.

Ashrafi explained that his 2007 commentary regarding bin Laden had arisen during a period of intense anger among many Muslims following the British government's decision to grant a knighthood to Sir Salman Rushdie, the author of the controversial novel *The Satanic Verses*.

Despite the immense public shock over equating a renowned literary figure with an international terrorist responsible for thousands of civilian deaths, Ashrafi stood by his past reasoning. He actively defended the comparison he had drawn between the novelist and the al-Qaeda founder during that contentious period.

When the Archbishop's office originally announced the conferral of the Hubert Walter Award, Lambeth Palace had praised Ashrafi for what it described as outstanding dedication as an ambassador for interfaith harmony in Pakistan. The institution had specifically highlighted his public commitment to fostering mutual understanding and religious tolerance across divided communities.

To support the cleric's selection for the honor, Lambeth Palace had highlighted his direct intervention in the high-profile 2012 case of Rimsha Masih. Masih, a young Pakistani Christian girl, had faced severe legal peril and public danger after being falsely accused of violating the country's strict blasphemy statutes.

However, critics pointed out that beyond the isolated Masih case, Ashrafi’s broader public record on religious freedom remains deeply contentious. Outside of specific interventions, the cleric has consistently voiced support for Pakistan’s stringent blasphemy legislation, which has sparked enduring domestic and international concern.

Pakistan's blasphemy laws have led to the prosecution of an estimated 2,000 individuals since the late 1980s. Statistical records indicate that these legal measures have disproportionately targeted religious minority communities, particularly Christians and Ahmadis, although numerous members of the majority Sunni Muslim population have also been prosecuted under the statutes.

Defending his stance on the matter, Ashrafi claimed that the blasphemy laws serve a vital protective function within Pakistani society. He argued that the legal statutes actually save lives by providing a formal judicial process that prevents aggrieved citizens from resorting to mob rule or taking matters into their own hands.

In sharp contrast to Ashrafi’s assertions, international human rights monitors have presented a critical assessment of the legislation’s real-world impact. Last year, Human Rights Watch stated that the blasphemy framework institutionalizes religious discrimination and is frequently manipulated to target vulnerable minorities and the poor in disputes involving unlawful evictions and land seizures.

Human Rights Watch has consistently urged the Pakistani government to enact urgent legal reforms to ensure that these statutes are no longer weaponized against marginalized sectors of society. Amid the growing scrutiny surrounding these human rights concerns and the resurfaced praise for bin Laden, the decision to revoke the Lambeth Palace award marks a definitive step by church authorities to distance the institution from the controversial cleric.