stylistic:tone
Reception and legacy

Bin Laden's supporters have referred to him by several nicknames, including the " Emir " (الأمير, al-Amīr, ' Prince '), the " Sheik " (الشيخ, aš-Šaykh), the "Jihadist Sheik" or "Sheik al- Mujahid " (شيخ المجاهد, Šaykh al-Mujāhid), " Hajj " (حج, Ḥajj), the "Director", "Lion" and "Lion Sheik". Despite condemnations from U.S-allied governments in the Arab world, anti-American protestors from Pakistan to Palestinian territories used his portraits during their protests, speeches and public campaigns; owing to his widespread popularity that once pervaded the Arab World during the early 2000s. His popularity reached its apex through the course of the Iraq War; during which opinion polls conducted in various Muslim countries gave him 50% – 60% favourable ratings. During a June 2020 Pakistani parliament session, Imran Khan denounced Bin Laden's killing, labelling it as "an embarrassing moment" in their country's history, and also praised Bin Laden as a Shaheed (martyr). He further criticized the co-operation policies of past Pakistani governments with the U.S. during its "War in Terror", arguing that such policies brought humiliation to Pakistan. Obama concluded the first volume of his presidential memoir with the killing of Bin Laden.

Bin Laden is a reviled figure in the Western world, where he is regarded as a terrorist and mass murderer. Mark Hosenball wrote:

In history's long list of villains, bin Laden will find a special place. He ha no throne, no armies, not even any real territory, aside from the rocky wastes of Afghanistan. But he ha the power to make men willingly go to their deaths for the sole purpose of indiscriminately killing Americans—men, women and children. He an unusual combination in the annals of hate, at once mystical and fanatical—and deliberate and efficient.