The former prime minister, who earns millions from his consultancy roles and property empire, was handed the accolade at the glamorous ceremony to a "muted" response.
Blair was praised by the editor of the magazine, Dylan Jones, for his “tireless charity work across the world” and “reconciling three Abrahamic faiths” and working alongside governments in Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Liberia, Guinea, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Senegal.
The Middle East peace envoy has advised Kazakh leader Nursultan Nazarbayev, including on how to improve his image after his police killed 14 unarmed protesters, it was revealed last week.
Many queried whether the award was supposed to be ironic, particularly when reality TV star Kim Kardashian later picked up GQ’s Woman of the Year award.
But the timing couldn't have been worse for the former Labour leader, who is often blamed for the violent insurgency gripping Iraq after toppling Saddam Hussein in 2003.
As he was honoured at the glitzy event alongside a whole host of A-list celebrities, the crisis in Iraq escalated with a second US journalist being brutally executed by Islamic State militants.
On receiving his award from the magazine, owned by publishing giant Condé Nast, at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, Blair, 61, said: "I would like to dedicate this award to the people that work with and for my organisations."
But GQ magazine’s decision to give the award to Blair, who has launched three foundations, was met with immediate disbelief and horror.
Tony Blair has won Philanthropist of the Year at the GQ Awards, seeing off tough competition from Kim Jong Un, and ISIS
— James Headspeath (@JHeadspeath1988) September 2, 2014Apparently, Tony Blair has won GQ's philanthropist of the year award. Finally these awards have grasped irony!
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) September 2, 2014Of course, 'Philanthropist of the Year' & Middle East 'Peace Envoy' Tony Blair probably has all the answers...For a price.
— James O'Brien (@mrjamesob) September 3, 2014What does this mean for the value of my Tony Blair '2003 GQ Politician of the Year' award? Two careful owners. Will consider P/X.
— Damian McBride (@DPMcBride) September 2, 2014People think I'm joking when I say Tony Blair has been named #GQAwards Philanthropist of the Year.
It's real. Realer than WMDs in Iraq
— Will Black (@WillBlackWriter) September 2, 2014Tony Blair should have won an award for being the least effective Middle East peace envoy EVER #GQAwards
— ValleyGirlInTheCity (@AmyMouse12) September 3, 2014GQ philanthropist of the yr: Tony Blair. Piers Morgan scoops one for outstanding journalism & award for feminist hero goes to Katie Hopkins.
— Bella (@bellamackie) September 2, 2014The chap who now profits from the wars he started and perpetuated gets 'GQ Philanthropist of the 2014' #WTF http://t.co/FOJD0Hsu7B
— Allon Lister (@allonlister) September 3, 2014The only award Tony Blair should receive is for best behaved prisoner.
— Neil Mitchell (@nrm1972) September 3, 2014TonyBlair is an interesting philanthropist. Historically, ppl make money then give it away. He seems to be making money as a philanthropist.
— Alastair Somerville (@Acuity_Design) September 3, 2014People shouldn't be so angry with GQ. I also often confuse the words "philanthropist" and "war monger" #tonyblair
— Sophia Walker (@PoetWalker) September 3, 2014Tony Blair. "philanthropist of the year". Best Joke since Kissinger won the Nobel Peace Prize for bombing Cambodia. #GQMenOfTheYearAwards
— Nelson Jones (@Heresy_Corner) September 2, 2014Bomber Blair wins Philanthropist of the Year. Jeremy Clarkson will be winning award for political correctness next http://t.co/gPGQsRTFXF
— Chris Doyle (@Doylech) September 2, 2014Tony Blair winner of @BritishGQ Philanthropist award. Did they mean to be ironic?
— Janaya Walker (@jcourtnayw) September 3, 2014Is this some British humour that us foreign fools don't get? "Tony Blair named 'philanthropist of year'" @Telegraph http://t.co/UrsrPsQEZH
— Banker's Umbrella (@BankersUmbrella) September 3, 2014Blair's award was even criticised by an MP from his own party: “It sends the wrong message. This sort of award should go to an unsung hero who has given up their time for charity,” John Mann MP said, according to the MailOnline.
The full tribute to Blair on the GQ website read: "In 2007 Tony Blair stepped down as prime minister, but his surging momentum’s shown no signs of slowing.
"Alongside his role as a Middle East peace envoy, Blair’s channelled his energy into philanthropy, establishing three charities.
"The Tony Blair Sports Foundation pairs volunteer sport coaches with children in Britain’s North East and his Faith Foundation aims to reconcile the three Abrahamic faiths, but his most ambitious is the Tony Blair Africa Governance Initiative.
"Launched in 2008, the foundation operates in six African countries – Sierra Leone, Rwanda Liberia, Guinea, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Senegal – where teams work alongside government bodies to bridge the gap between African leaders’ visions for a better future and their government’s ability to implement it."
STEVEN SOTLOFF MURDER:
Blair is a Special Envoy for the Quartet Representative, a mandate to help mediate Middle East peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine.
In 2012 the Quartet described as being “useless, useless, useless” by senior Palestinian officials.
Senior Palestinian officials and analysts told The Independent "the statement of the Quartet really means nothing because it was always full of what they call constructive ambiguity that really took us to nowhere."