Full Breakdown
Archbishop of Canterbury Withdraws Interfaith Award from Pakistani Cleric
By Drooid · · How we work
Award Presentation on the 25th Anniversary of 9/11
On September 11, the Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation was presented by Archbishop Dame Sarah Mullally at Lambeth Palace to Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, a Pakistani scholar and chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council.
Resurfaced 2007 Remarks Praising Osama bin Laden
Ashrafi told the BBC the comments were made in response to the British government’s knighthood for Salman Rushdie and were “totally taken out of context”. He later described the backlash as an “unfair campaign”.
Lambeth Palace Review and Withdrawal
Lambeth Palace announced on September 18 that it had “urgently reviewed” the matter and decided to withdraw the award. The statement said the earlier comments had “come to light” and that the Palace had contacted Ashrafi to inform him of the decision.
Official Statements
- The National Secular Society (NSS) condemned the original honor, calling it “obscene, and almost beyond parody” given the timing on the 9/11 anniversary.
Criticism and Opposition
Critics highlighted Ashrafi’s public support for Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, which have been used to prosecute thousands of minorities. The NSS and several UK politicians argued that awarding an interfaith prize to someone who had praised a terrorist undermines the credibility of the Church’s outreach. Tory MP Neil O’Brien questioned the public display of Ashrafi’s wife and daughter in full veil, describing the niqab as “oppressive”.
Background on Ashrafi’s Interfaith Activities
Ashrafi has been cited for intervening in the 2012 Rimsha Masih blasphemy case, describing the girl as a “daughter of the nation” and condemning attacks on Christian pastors in early 2022. He has served as a coordinator for religious harmony in the Pakistani diaspora and co-hosted a 2022 reception for faith leaders during Archbishop Justin Welby’s visit to Pakistan. These actions formed the basis for the award’s original justification.
Verbatim Quotes
- “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,” — Lambeth Palace
- “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to light that have led Lambeth Palace to reconsider this award and we can now confirm today that the award has been withdrawn.”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
- “We have contacted Imam Ashrafi to make him aware of this decision.” — Lambeth Palace
- “If a blasphemer can be given the title ‘Sir’ by the West despite the fact he’s hurt the feelings of Muslims, then a mujahid who has been fighting for Islam against the Russians, Americans, and British must be given the lofty title of Islam, Saifullah,” — Mr Ashrafi, the spokesperson
The withdrawal underscores the tension between honoring interfaith contributions and scrutinizing past statements that conflict with the values of reconciliation.