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Lambeth Palace withdraws award to Muslim cleric over Osama bin Laden remarks

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Cite

Fox, Y. Á. (2026, September 17). Lambeth Palace withdraws award to Muslim cleric over Osama bin Laden remarks. Evening Standard. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/osama-bin-laden-muslim-lambeth-palace-palace-archbishop-b1297397.html

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

Evening Standard · collected 2026-09-17 · by Y. Áine Fox

Quick Summary

On September 11, 2021, Imam Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi received an interfaith co-operation award from Lambeth Palace in London. However, the award was later withdrawn due to his past remarks supporting Osama bin Laden in 2007. The National Secular Society criticized this decision, calling it "obscene," especially given its timing on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Ashrafi’s spokesperson defended the imam's comments, stating they were meant to highlight the hurt caused by Salman Rushdie receiving a knighthood in Britain and not an endorsement of bin Laden.
Written by AI on 2026-09-17, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

The core issue highlighted across these articles is the Archbishop of Canterbury's decision to withdraw an award given to a prominent Muslim cleric from Pakistan named Maulana Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi. The reason for this withdrawal was that it came to light that Ashrafi had praised Osama bin Laden in the past, even giving him a title of honor.

Key points

The main controversy stems from

This incident highlights tensions and challenges in interfaith relations, especially regarding historical context and the potential consequences of past statements. It also raises questions about how religious leaders should balance respect for diverse views with addressing extreme or controversial positions within their faith communities.

Written for “Archbishop Withdraws Controversial Award” on 2026-11-01, grounded in this article and the 8 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 Archbishop Withdraws Controversial Award
Politics · 9 article(s) covering the same event. Compare every outlet's account →

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 0% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
Evening Standard
Hedges 0 of 7 claims Outlet record 65/100
BBC News
Hedges 1 of 16 claims Outlet record 68/100
National Post
Hedges 0 of 17 claims Outlet record 60/100
Daily Mail
Hedges 4 of 40 claims Outlet record 68/100
“While both articles mention the award given to Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, Article B focuses on a subsequent controversy involving the Archbishop of Canterbury's photograph with Ashrafi's wife, which is a separate event.”
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
20
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
0%
0 of 20 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
withheld
no quote in the article backed the model's score
Publisher signals
65/100
Evening Standard's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
9
Politics
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-09-17 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

Evening Standard · 8032 article(s) · 68 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 68 correction(s)

Who wrote this

Y. Áine Fox
14 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
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🔮 Then-health secretary Matt Hancock’s claim – made in May 2020 about protections at the start of the pandemic – was “unfounded”, UK Covid-19 Inquiry chairwoman Baroness Heather Hallett said, adding: “Quite the opposite was true.”
🔮 Then-health secretary Matt Hancock’s claim – made in May 2020 about protections at the start of the pandemic – was “unfounded”, UK Covid-19 Inquiry chairwoman Baroness Heather Hallett said, adding: “Quite the opposite was true”.
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🔮 In 2007, as head of the Pakistan Ulema Council group of Islamic clerics and scholars, the imam said he would give bin Laden – the orchestrator of the September 11 terror attacks – the title Saifullah, which means “Sword of God”, for “serving Muslims by waging jihad against infidels”.
Also by Y. Áine Fox
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 14 articles by Y. Áine Fox →

Topics

British Muslims NSS Pakistan Pakistan Ulema Council

Subjects

Ashrafi PERSON · 9× Pakistan GPE · 4× bin Laden PERSON · 4× British NORP · 2× Muslims NORP · 2× NSS ORG · 2× Osama bin Laden PERSON · 2× Salman Rushdie PERSON · 2× Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi PERSON · 1× Sarah Mullally PERSON · 1×

Narrative

He said: “The decision of Ashrafi’s wife and daughter to observe hijab is their personal and religious right. “Ashrafi also dedicated his recent Hubert Walter Award to his wife, acknowledging her support and contribution throughout his work.” He was one of 27 people presented with a Lambeth Award last week, recognising recipients’ “extraordinary contributions to the Church of England, the Anglican Communion and wider society”. It was the first time Dame Sarah had presented the Lambeth Awards since taking office earlier this year.
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-09-17
🔮 In 2007, as head of the Pakistan Ulema Council group of Islamic clerics and scholars, the imam said he would give bin Laden – the orchestrator of the September 11 terror attacks – the title Saifullah, which means “Sword of God”, for “serving Muslims by waging jihad against infidels”.
2026-09-17 · Evening Standard
Lambeth Palace withdraws award to Muslim cleric over Osama bin Laden remarks · assertive framing

Claims (20 extracted, 0 hedged)

Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi was given an award on Friday, the 25th anniversary of 9/11, by Dame Sarah Mullally for reconciliation and interfaith co-operation. asserted
Ashrafi → give → reconciliation
In 2007, as head of the Pakistan Ulema Council group of Islamic clerics and scholars, the imam said he would give bin Laden – the orchestrator of the September 11 terror attacks – the title Saifullah, which means “Sword of God”, for “serving Muslims by waging jihad against infidels”. asserted
which → say → infidels
A caption accompanying an image of Mr Ashrafi receiving his award last week said he was being recognised “for his outstanding work as an ambassador of interfaith harmony in Pakistan”. asserted
he → accompany → Pakistan
The National Secular Society (NSS) branded the award presentation “obscene, and almost beyond parody”, having taken place on the anniversary of the terror attack that claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 people, including 67 British citizens. asserted
that → brand → citizens
In a statement, a spokesperson for Mr Ashrafi said his remarks were being reported “without their proper context”. asserted
remarks → say → context
His 2007 comments on bin Laden came amid protests in Pakistan against Satanic Verses author Salman Rushdie being given a knighthood in Britain. asserted
Rushdie → come → Britain
Mr Ashrafi told the Press Association he had been “giving an example” at the time to demonstrate the equivalence in offence caused to the Muslim community by the awarding of an honour to Mr Rushdie. asserted
he → tell → Rushdie
He insisted the title had not actually been bestowed on bin Laden. asserted
title → insist → Laden
His spokesperson said: “Regarding Osama bin Laden, Ashrafi’s remarks have been presented without their proper context. asserted
remarks → say → context
Read More “His comparison was not an endorsement of bin Laden; it was made in the context of explaining the hurt felt by many Muslims over the British honour given to Salman Rushdie. asserted
it → read → Rushdie
“His longstanding record against terrorism and violent extremism should be considered when assessing such remarks.” asserted
record → consider → remarks
Alejandro Sanchez, an NSS spokesperson, said: “It is obscene, and almost beyond parody, that the Archbishop of Canterbury has awarded an Osama Bin Laden apologist an interfaith award on the anniversary of 9/11. asserted
Archbishop → say → 9/11
“This demonstrates appallingly poor judgment and is an insult to the victims of 9/11 and their families. asserted
This → demonstrate → 9/11
“Interfaith engagement must not mean overlooking support for extremism. asserted
engagement → mean → extremism
The Archbishop of Canterbury should explain what due diligence was undertaken, whether those responsible knew about his actions, and whether the award will now be withdrawn.” asserted
award → explain → actions
Lambeth Palace said the award had been 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”. asserted
that → say → Church
The statement added: “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.” asserted
that → add → differences
But given the “previous comments” the Palace said had “come to light”, Mr Ashrafi was contacted to make him aware his award had been withdrawn. asserted
award → give → light
Mr Ashrafi’s spokesperson also responded to some online criticism of his wife and daughter wearing religious garments with their faces covered in the photograph. asserted
faces → respond → photograph
He said: “The decision of Ashrafi’s wife and daughter to observe hijab is their personal and religious right. “Ashrafi also dedicated his recent Hubert Walter Award to his wife, acknowledging her support and contribution throughout his work.” He was one of 27 people presented with a Lambeth Award last week, recognising recipients’ “extraordinary contributions to the Church of England, the Anglican Communion and wider society”. It was the first time Dame Sarah had presented the Lambeth Awards since taking office earlier this year. asserted
Sarah → say → office
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