Archbishop Withdraws Award to Cleric After Praise for Bin Laden

The Archbishop of Canterbury has withdrawn an award presented to Muslim cleric Tahir Ashrafi after it emerged he had previously praised Osama bin Laden. The award, for ‘Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation,’ was given on the anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terror attacks.

Ashrafi, who chairs a group of Islamic scholars in Pakistan, had previously bestowed the highest honor from his organization upon the Al Qaeda leader. This action was reportedly a response to the British government awarding a knighthood to author Salman Rushdie. In June 2007, Ashrafi stated that his organization was pleased to award Bin Laden the title 'Saifullah' (Sword of Allah) in retaliation for Rushdie's knighthood, deeming it a title for a Muslim warrior fighting against Western forces.

Following the resurfacing of these comments online, the Archbishop faced calls for an apology and criticism for the perceived insensitivity of the award's timing and recipient. In response, Lambeth Palace issued a statement confirming the withdrawal of the Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation.

The palace acknowledged Ashrafi’s support for religious minorities in Pakistan, particularly the Christian community, and stated that it continues to value interfaith dialogue. However, the previously made comments led to the reconsideration and withdrawal of the award. Lambeth Palace confirmed they had informed Ashrafi of their decision.

Critics, including Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy, welcomed the withdrawal, asserting that the Archbishop must exercise greater judgment and cease legitimizing individuals who oppose Western values. The National Secular Society also commented, expressing astonishment that the award was granted in the first place, especially on the anniversary of 9/11, citing poor judgment and a naive approach to interfaith engagement.

Questions were also raised regarding the decision by Lambeth Palace to not name Ashrafi’s wife, who appeared veiled in photos of the ceremony, despite her also receiving the award alongside her husband. This aspect drew criticism concerning the visibility and role of women in such public engagements.

Ashrafi previously served as a religious harmony envoy for Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan and had met with former Archbishop Justin Welby in 2022. Following the award ceremony last week, Ashrafi had spoken about Islam as a religion of peace and called for unity against extremism.