Archbishop of Canterbury withdraws award to cleric who praised Bin Laden

The news

The Archbishop of Canterbury presented the Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation to Pakistani cleric Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi at Lambeth Palace on 11 September 2026. Ashrafi heads the Pakistan Ulema Council, which in 2007 awarded Osama bin Laden the title Saifullah for fighting against the Russians, Americans and British. Lambeth Palace withdrew the award on 17 September 2026 after the 2007 comments came to light.

What's at stake

The Hubert Walter Award recognises outstanding work in reconciliation and interfaith cooperation. The decision to honour Ashrafi on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks has raised questions about vetting processes at Lambeth Palace and the Church of England's approach to interfaith partnerships. Critics argue the episode damages the Church's credibility on moral leadership, while supporters of the original decision point to Ashrafi's later work promoting harmony in Pakistan.

The swift withdrawal within six days shows an attempt to limit fallout. Yet the episode has triggered wider debate about accountability for senior Church figures when errors of judgment occur in public ceremonies. At stake is public confidence in how the Archbishop balances interfaith outreach against historical sensitivities around terrorism.

The case for

Handing the award on 9/11 to someone who praised Bin Laden shows poor judgment unfit for leading the Church. The Pakistan Ulema Council under Ashrafi gave Osama bin Laden the title Saifullah in 2007 for fighting against the Russians, Americans and British. Presenting the honour on the exact anniversary of the attacks compounded the error and suggested inadequate background checks by Lambeth Palace.

Such a mistake at the highest level of the Church of England undermines its moral authority. The Archbishop holds a unique position that requires careful stewardship of symbols and dates. Continuing in post after this public reversal would signal that serious lapses carry no personal consequence.

The case against

The award was swiftly withdrawn once comments came to light, so resignation would be a disproportionate response. Lambeth Palace acted within six days of the presentation when the 2007 remarks about Osama bin Laden surfaced. This demonstrates responsiveness rather than intransigence and corrects the record without the need for further escalation.

Resignation would set an unrealistic standard for any public figure who makes an honest mistake based on incomplete information. The focus should remain on Ashrafi's interfaith work in Pakistan that originally justified the award. Demanding the Archbishop's departure over a reversed decision risks turning every administrative error into a leadership crisis.

Why it matters now

If the Archbishop were to resign it would create immediate instability at the top of the Church of England at a time of declining attendance and internal reform pressures. A decision to stay in post would allow focus to return to broader interfaith and reconciliation programmes. The next Lambeth Awards cycle will likely face tighter scrutiny on nominee vetting as a direct result of this episode.

Further reading

BBC News · thetottenhamindependent.co.uk

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