Archbishop of Canterbury Takes Major Action Against Muslim Cleric Who Praised Osama Bin Laden
- The office of the Archbishop of Canterbury withdrew an interfaith award given on September 11 to Pakistani Muslim cleric Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi
- Ashrafi had in 2007 publicly conferred on Osama bin Laden the title of 'Sword of Allah' in protest at a British honour for author Salman Rushdie
- Lambeth Palace said it reconsidered the award after previous comments by Ashrafi came to light, though his spokesperson denied the remarks were an endorsement of bin Laden
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Lambeth Palace, the official seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, has withdrawn an interfaith award it gave to a Pakistani Muslim cleric after it emerged that he had publicly celebrated Osama bin Laden nearly two decades ago.
The award had been presented on September 11 by Sarah Mullally, the head of the Church of England, to Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council, a prominent body of Islamic scholars. Ashrafi was among several faith leaders recognised for what Lambeth Palace described as "reconciliation and interfaith cooperation."
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Bin Laden praise prompts backlash
The decision to honour Ashrafi drew immediate criticism once his past remarks resurfaced. In 2007, Ashrafi told AFP that the Pakistan Ulema Council was conferring on then-Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden its highest honour in protest at Britain granting a knighthood to author Salman Rushdie, The telegraph reported.
"We are pleased to award the title of Saifullah (Sword of Allah) to Osama bin Laden," he said at the time, describing it as "the highest title for a Muslim warrior."
Bin Laden planned and directed the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States that killed nearly 3,000 people. He was killed by US special forces in Pakistan in 2011.
The timing of the award ceremony, held on the anniversary of those attacks, added to the controversy.
Award withdrawn after review
Lambeth Palace confirmed the reversal in a statement issued on Thursday.
"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to light that have led Lambeth Palace to reconsider this award and we can now confirm today that the award has been withdrawn," the office of the archbishop said.
The statement noted that Ashrafi had originally received the recognition for his "longstanding support for religious minorities in Pakistan, particularly the Christian community."
A spokesperson for Ashrafi pushed back against the characterisation of his 2007 remarks, saying the comment was not "an endorsement of bin Laden" but was made to express the hurt many Muslims felt over the British government's decision to honour Rushdie.
Rushdie's novel "The Satanic Verses," published in 1988, attracted fatwas calling for his death and multiple assassination attempts due to its fictionalised portrayal of the Prophet Muhammad.
Conservative Party politician Nick Timothy wrote on X: "The naivety of our public institutions for engaging with people like this is staggering. But not surprising."
Anglican church of Nigeria officially cuts ties with church of England
Previously, Legit.ng reported that the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) officially severed spiritual ties with the Church of England, following the appointment of Bishop Sarah Mullally as the new Archbishop of Canterbury.
The Nigerian church described her elevation as the first woman to occupy the position, and her support for same-s3x marriage as evidence of what it called “a deepening moral and theological decline” within the leadership of the Anglican Communion.
Source: Legit.ng
