The Church of England has rescinded an interfaith award given to a Muslim cleric after comments he made praising Osama bin Laden recently resurfaced. Lambeth Palace, the official residence for the Archbishop of Canterbury, issued a statement on Thursday announcing that it is rescinding the Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation given to Maulana Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi on Sept. 11. On the 25th anniversary of the Sept.
11, 2001, terror attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in the United States, Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally presented the award to Ashrafi, a Muslim cleric, touted for his support for religious minorities in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, especially the Asian country’s Christian population. “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,” stated the residence.
“However, 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to light that have led Lambeth Palace to reconsider this award and we can now confirm today that the award has been withdrawn.” Church officials “have contacted Imam Ashrafi to make him aware of this decision” and “continue to pray for the Christian community in Pakistan, and for all those working for interfaith dialogue and harmony in Pakistan and around the world.” Ashrafi was one of 27 individuals to receive a Lambeth Award, which are honors given to people in recognition of their exceptional contributions to either the Church of England, the global Anglican Communion or society at large.
Ashrafi received his award along with other honorees at a ceremony held in the Great Hall of Lambeth Palace last Friday. “We live in a world which is not always what we wish it would be. There is much injustice. We face a climate emergency,” said Mullally at