You Can’t Make This Up: Female Head of Anglican Church Withdraws Award She Gave Pro-Bin Laden Muslim Cleric on 9/11 Anniversary

The female head of the Church of England was forced to pull an award she gave to an Islamic cleric who once praised Osama Bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaeda and the mastermind of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The award was even given on the recent 25th anniversary of 9/11.

Rev. Sarah Mullally, who serves as Archbishop of Canterbury, offered Tahir Ashrafi the award for “Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation” on Sept. 11, 2026.

After she gave the award, some noted that the Ulema Council, the Pakistani group of Islamic scholars chaired by Ashrafi, once provided an honorific to Bin Laden, according to a Thursday report from the Daily Mail.

Ashrafi himself announced the “Sword of Allah” award — which was given to Bin Laden nearly six years after 9/11 — and even called him a “Muslim warrior” in his remarks.

The head of the Church of England.

Wish I was joking. pic.twitter.com/Z30kNfUwgI

— Tommy Robinson 🇬🇧 (@TRobinsonNewEra) September 17, 2026

“We are pleased to award the title of ‘Saifullah’ to Osama bin Laden after the British government’s decision to bestow the title of ‘Sir’ on blasphemer Rushdie. This is the highest title for a Muslim warrior,” Ashrafi said in June 2007.

As noted by the Daily Mail, the British government had recently given the title “Sir” to Salman Rushdie, who wrote the Satanic Verses.

“If a blasphemer can be given the title ‘Sir’ by the West despite the fact that he’s hurt the feelings of Muslims, then a mujahid who has been fighting for Islam against the Russians, Americans and British must be given the lofty title of Islam, Saifullah,” Ashrafi added.

The Archbishop of Canterbury has given Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi an award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation.

He’s the chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council – a group of Islamic scholars.

The lady next to him is his wife.

But why did the Church grant him this award? 🧵 pic.twitter.com/64SmQxP1EX

— Nick Timothy MP (@NJ_Timothy) September 16, 2026

Lambeth Palace, the official London residence for the Archbishop of Canterbury, issued an apology after the remarks resurfaced — even continuing to laud Ashrafi’s supposed interfaith work.

“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 statement said.

“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,” 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. 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.”

Mullally has been serving as the Archbishop of Canterbury since January 2026 — provoking controversy given the historic Christian stance against female pastors and church leadership.

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