The Archbishop of Canterbury sparked fury after presenting an award on the anniversary of 9/11 to a Muslim scholar who previously praised Osama Bin Laden.
The Archbishop gave the award last week. (Image: Neil Turner)
The Archbishop of Canterbury sparked fury after she handed an award to a Muslim scholar who praised Osama Bin Laden following the 9/11 terror attacks. Dame Sarah Mullally gave the Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation award to Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi last week – on September 11. The award has now been withdrawn, with the Archbishop’s office saying “previous comments made by Imam Ashrafi have come to light”.
Ashrafi is chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council, a group of Islamic scholars that honoured terrorist Osama Bin Laden with the title ‘Sword of God’ six years after the 9/11 terror attacks killed 2,977 people. Announcing the award to the Al Qaeda Chief in 2007, Ashrafi called it the “highest title for a Muslim warrior”. Heaping praise on the terrorist, Ashrafi was recorded by a news agency as saying Bin Laden “has been fighting for Islam against the Russians, Americans and British”.
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News agency Reuters reported him saying Bin Laden “must be given the lofty title of Islam, Saifullah,” an honorific originally awarded for military skill.
In other comments, he described suicide bombings in Afghanistan as lawful, and supported blasphemy laws which carry the death penalty.
Last week, the Archbishop said she was “delighted” to welcome Ashrafi to Lambeth Palace, her official residence, and posed for a photograph with the man and his wife.
But in a new statement, her office said: “Last week the Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation was presented to Maulana Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi in a ceremony at Lambeth Palace.
“The award was given for Imam Ashrafi’s longstanding support for religious minorities in Pakistan, particularly the Christian community – support that is valued by many Christians in Pakistan including its Anglican Church.
“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. 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to light that have led Lambeth Palace to reconsider this award and we can now confirm today that the award has been withdrawn.
“We have contacted Imam Ashrafi to make him aware of this decision. We 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.”
Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy said the “naivety” of the Archbishop in handing the accolade to a supporter of Bin Laden was “staggering”.
Speaking before the award was withdrawn, he said: “Our leaders must face up to the reality that not all cultures are based on the same foundations as ours, and not all share our desire for co-operation and freedom.
Mr Timothy warned that British religious leaders should not be “celebrating those who seek to do us harm.”
Osama Bin Laden (Image: Getty)
Joining the condemnation was a survivor of the 2017 Westminster Bridge terror attack, Travis Frain OBE, who slammed the decision as a “grave misjudgement by the Church”.
Mr Frain, who founded a terror victim support group called the Resilience in Unity Project, said it was “made even more egregious by the fact that this award was given on the 25th Anniversary of the September 11th Attacks.”
He branded Bin Laden an “architect of misery” and a man “responsible for thousands of deaths”.
Tim Dieppe, Head of Public Policy at Christian Concern, said the honour “beggars belief”.
He added: “How can a Christian leader give an award for reconciliation to someone who has honoured Osama Bin Laden? To someone who supports the draconian blasphemy laws in Pakistan which are a source of persecution of Christians?”
Slamming the Archbishop as “clearly uninformed” he said there was “absolutely no justification” for giving him an accolade.
Andy Burnham ‘well capable’ of defeating Nigel Farage with Labour majority, TUC chief says.TA
Andy Burnham ‘well capable’ of defeating Nigel Farage with Labour majority, TUC chief says
Andy Burnham is “well capable” of defeating Nigel Farage and securing a majority for Labour at the next general election, Paul Nowak has insisted.
Article continues below
His intervention follows Reform UK’s disastrous conference and a slump in the polls for the right-wing party after a series of scandals over donations. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) General Secretary told the Mirror: “I think the more that the public see of Nigel Farage, the less they like him.”
He added: “If you listen to Nigel Farage and Richard Tice and all the rest of them, it’s like a foregone conclusion that they’ve got the keys to Downing Street. I don’t think that that is the case. I think Andy is well capable of beating Nigel Farage at the next election.
Article continues below
“If it’s a choice between a Prime Minister offering a vision of hope that’s focused on the issues that actually matter to working people, rather than scaremongering and creating division, then I think he’s absolutely got a chance of leading Labour into the next election and securing a majority.”
The TUC boss also dismissed speculation of a snap general election – despite clear evidence of a ‘Burnham bounce’ in the national polls. He said: “I don’t get the sense that the public is crying out for a general election anytime soon. I mean, that’s obviously a decision to be taken by the Prime Minister.
“I think people are more focused on: ‘Let’s see what you can do and deliver the change that we voted for back in July 2024.’ Not voting again, let’s deliver the change you promised.”
But he highlighted Labour’s recent victories over Mr Farage’s Reform UK at the ballot box, including Mr Burnham’s own Westminster comeback at June’s Makerfield by-election.
Article continues below
The following month Labour also emerged victorious at the Greater Manchester mayoral by-election, with Bev Craig’s decisive win in the region over Reform who had hoped for a major political upset.
Mr Nowak said: “I think what’s clear is that we have seen a Burnham bounce in the polls. I’m not complacent about that.
“I am still worried about Reform and their impact on British politics. But I think the public are giving him a hearing, and he’s starting to… those breathing space policies, I think, are ones that people will feel in their pockets.”
Andy Burnham ‘well capable’ of defeating Nigel Farage with Labour majority, TUC chief says
Andy Burnham is “well capable” of defeating Nigel Farage and securing a majority for Labour at the next general election, Paul Nowak has insisted.
Article continues below
His intervention follows Reform UK’s disastrous conference and a slump in the polls for the right-wing party after a series of scandals over donations. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) General Secretary told the Mirror: “I think the more that the public see of Nigel Farage, the less they like him.”
He added: “If you listen to Nigel Farage and Richard Tice and all the rest of them, it’s like a foregone conclusion that they’ve got the keys to Downing Street. I don’t think that that is the case. I think Andy is well capable of beating Nigel Farage at the next election.
Article continues below
“If it’s a choice between a Prime Minister offering a vision of hope that’s focused on the issues that actually matter to working people, rather than scaremongering and creating division, then I think he’s absolutely got a chance of leading Labour into the next election and securing a majority.”
The TUC boss also dismissed speculation of a snap general election – despite clear evidence of a ‘Burnham bounce’ in the national polls. He said: “I don’t get the sense that the public is crying out for a general election anytime soon. I mean, that’s obviously a decision to be taken by the Prime Minister.
“I think people are more focused on: ‘Let’s see what you can do and deliver the change that we voted for back in July 2024.’ Not voting again, let’s deliver the change you promised.”
But he highlighted Labour’s recent victories over Mr Farage’s Reform UK at the ballot box, including Mr Burnham’s own Westminster comeback at June’s Makerfield by-election.
Article continues below
The following month Labour also emerged victorious at the Greater Manchester mayoral by-election, with Bev Craig’s decisive win in the region over Reform who had hoped for a major political upset.
Mr Nowak said: “I think what’s clear is that we have seen a Burnham bounce in the polls. I’m not complacent about that.
“I am still worried about Reform and their impact on British politics. But I think the public are giving him a hearing, and he’s starting to… those breathing space policies, I think, are ones that people will feel in their pockets.”
Nigel Farage loses it at Archbishop of Canterbury after row over award to Muslim cleric
The Reform UK leader hit out at the Archbishop of Canterbury over the furore.
Nigel Farage erupted at the Archbishop of Canterbury in a row over her giving an award to a Muslim cleric who praised Osama bin Laden. Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi received the honour for reconciliation and interfaith cooperation last week on the anniversary of 9/11.