A charity that helps persecuted Christians worldwide has criticised the Archbishop of Canterbury for welcoming two conservative Islamic clerics to Lambeth Palace.
The two men were conducting a seven-week preaching tour of UK mosques, due to end this week.
“It is deeply disturbing that some of these conservative Islamic clerics who incite this vigilante violence against Pakistani Christians and any politicians who stand up for them, have not only been granted visas for a preaching tour of UK mosques, but even been formally welcomed at Lambeth Palace by the Archbishop of Canterbury,” said Martin Parsons, head of research at the Barnabus Fund.
Lambeth Palace said that the archbishop discussed "the narrative of extremism and terrorism" and interfaith relations with the clerics, Shaykh Muhammad Naqib ur Rehman and his son Haseeb Ur Rehman.
A spokesman for the Palace told The Tablet: "The Archbishop appreciated the opportunity in July to meet and engage in dialogue with Shaykh Muhammad Naqib ur Rehman, an influential religious leader in Pakistan.
"The Archbishop meets a variety of people from a range of perspectives and backgrounds in his reconciliation ministry. The Archbishop will always speak up for the rights and integrity of Christians to not only worship but flourish freely in Pakistan and many other places. In order to speak up for the rights of vulnerable Christians, it is important to build relationships with influential leaders.”
The Muslim clerics are advocates of Pakistan’s strict anti-blasphemy laws under which many Christians have suffered; breaking the law can result in the death penalty.
The clerics have been part of a high-profile campaign in Pakistan in support of Mumtaz Qadri, who was executed in January for murdering Pakistani politician Salmaan Taseer. Taseer had criticised the country’s harsh blasphemy laws. Qadri claimed it was his religious duty to kill the minister. Taseer’s son, Shahbaz, has criticised the British government for allowing the clerics into the country.
His brother, Shehryar, told reporters at IBTimes UK: "I find it disrespectful that a man like this has been entertained by the Archbishop. My family has been on the front lines when it comes to inter-faith harmony and these people disrespect anyone and everyone who speaks about religious harmony."
Great to welcome Pakistan's Shaykh Muhammad Naqib ur Rehman at @LambethPalace today. pic.twitter.com/n5FLOlXFY4
— Justin Welby ? (@JustinWelby) July 18, 2016
National director of Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need, Neville Kyrke-SmithThere, said: "There can be no possible justification for Muhamed Naqib’s praise of Salman Taseer’s murderer. However, we do understand that sometimes to reach understanding you have to meet with the most unlikely of people.
"From our work in Pakistan we are only too aware of the abuse of the blasphemy laws, and would echo the words of Archbishop Sebastian Shaw [Archbishop of Lahore]: 'The abuse of the law, used for other purposes, hurts many Muslim and Christian Pakistani citizens, and all religions, unjustly destroying the lives of many innocent people. We hope for a change for the better.'
"As Archbishop Shaw makes clear, there is a pressing need for the religious freedom which Salman Taseer and Shahbaz Bhatti worked so hard for. But religious freedom does not mean freedom for religious extremists to foment hatred and violence."
Photo: Justin Welby meeting Shaykh Muhammad Naqib ur Rehman from @JustinWelby Twitter account
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