Lambeth Palace withdraws an award previously given to Muslim cleric Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi after remarks attributed to him involving Osama bin Laden. The Independent reports the honour was presented on the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, and multiple outlets say the decision follows renewed attention to the comments.
A Lambeth Palace spokesperson does not appear in the provided excerpts, but Ashrafi’s representative responds that the remarks are being reported “without their proper context.” The Evening Standard frames this as part of the cleric’s position, suggesting disagreement over how the statements have been characterized. Other provided summaries contain limited additional detail, so the specific wording of the remarks and whether Lambeth Palace disputes the substance or context are not fully established across sources.
Overall, outlets agree that Lambeth Palace reverses the award linked to Ashrafi following the reported comments, while Ashrafi’s side argues that the coverage omits important context.
