Archbishop of Canterbury Rescinds Interfaith Award After Cleric's Bin Laden Praise Resurfaces

The Archbishop of Canterbury has formally rescinded a major interfaith honor previously bestowed upon a prominent Pakistani Muslim cleric, following widespread public condemnation over historical statements in which the religious figure lauded the late al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

The honor, known as the Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation, had been presented to Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi at Lambeth Palace in London. The award was conferred by Dame Sarah Mullally, the Archbishop of Canterbury, during an official ceremony celebrating contributions to global religious harmony.

The timing of the initial presentation intensified the ensuing controversy, as the ceremony took place last week against the backdrop of the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Those 2001 strikes against the United States, orchestrated by Bin Laden, resulted in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people and reshaped global security for decades.

Lambeth Palace was quickly confronted with intense scrutiny and backlash after past remarks delivered by Ashrafi in 2007 resurfaced. In those statements, the Pakistani cleric had praised Bin Laden, characterizing the terrorist mastermind as a figure who had spent his life fighting on behalf of Islam against Russian, American, and British forces.

Archival reports also revealed that Ashrafi had suggested conferring upon Bin Laden the title of "Saifullah," an Arabic honorific meaning the "Sword of God." The re-emergence of these statements triggered severe alarm among observers, interfaith advocates, and human rights organizations, prompting the Church of England's leadership to reverse its decision.

Responding to the controversy, Ashrafi told the BBC that his past comments had been entirely stripped of their proper context. He described the mounting public criticism as an unfair and coordinated campaign designed to damage his international reputation and undermine his ongoing work in interfaith dialogue.

Ashrafi explained that his 2007 remarks were delivered as a direct reaction to the widespread anger and distress experienced across the Muslim world when the British government awarded a knighthood to Sir Salman Rushdie, the author of *The Satanic Verses*.

Despite the fierce backlash surrounding his past rhetoric, the cleric stood by his decision to draw a direct comparison between the controversial novelist and a militant leader responsible for mass casualties. Ashrafi maintained that his statements reflected the deep religious offense felt by many Muslims at that specific historical moment.

When Lambeth Palace initially announced the award, the Archbishop’s office highlighted Ashrafi's extensive track record as an ambassador for interfaith harmony in Pakistan. The institution had commended what it described as his steadfast dedication to advancing religious tolerance and fostering dialogue between disparate communities.

Church authorities had placed particular emphasis on Ashrafi’s high-profile intervention during the 2012 legal ordeal of Rimsha Masih. In that landmark case, a young Christian girl in Pakistan was falsely accused of desecrating religious texts under the country’s stringent blasphemy statutes, and Ashrafi’s vocal defense was widely credited with helping secure her release.

However, the scrutiny facing the cleric extends well beyond his past rhetoric regarding Bin Laden. Critics have pointed out that despite his intervention in isolated cases like that of Masih, Ashrafi remains a staunch defender of Pakistan's broader legal framework governing blasphemy.

Pakistan's blasphemy statutes have resulted in the formal prosecution of approximately 2,000 individuals since the late 1980s. While a significant number of majority Sunni Muslims have faced charges under the laws, religious minorities—particularly the country’s Christian and Ahmadi communities—have been disproportionately targeted by allegations and judicial proceedings.

Ashrafi has consistently justified his backing of the legal statutes by arguing that state-enforced blasphemy laws effectively save lives. According to the cleric, codified legal penalties are necessary to deter mob rule and prevent impassioned members of the public from taking retributive justice into their own hands.

Conversely, international human rights monitors have long reached the opposite conclusion regarding the impact of the legislation. Last year, Human Rights Watch issued a critical assessment stating that Pakistan’s blasphemy laws serve to entrench religious discrimination and facilitate severe abuses against vulnerable populations, including arbitrary detentions, unlawful evictions, and predatory land grabs.

Human Rights Watch has repeatedly pressed the Pakistani government to enact urgent and comprehensive legislative reforms. The watchdog warned that without systemic overhauls, the blasphemy statutes will continue to be aggressively weaponized as a tool to intimidate, silence, and persecute marginalized religious communities.

The decision by Lambeth Palace to revoke the award highlights the acute complexities and reputational risks involved in international interfaith diplomacy. As the Church of England recalibrates its engagement, the episode underscores the imperative for thorough vetting when honoring international figures working in politically volatile and religiously divided environments.