The letter from the Global Hindu Federation (GHF) quoted Anglican repentance for "the Church's colonialist 'methodology'" issued by Canadian Anglican archbishops Michael Peers in 1993, followed by Fred Hiltz in 2008 and July 2019 and called on Archbishop Welby to apologise for "the suffering inflicted upon Hindus, Sikhs and other peoples of India."

It was described by the 48-year-old British designer as a "celebration of women" and attracted celebrity guests including the actor Ed Westwick and socialite Lady Victoria Hervey.

However, a leading Anglican clergyman has questioned whether the cathedral should be "giving a platform" to an event which promotes "a narcissistic self-referential display for the very rich".

Ashdown, who died on 22 December 2018, became a passionate advocate for the Muslims of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the wars that led to the break-up of Yugoslavia.

The Koranic reading was in Bosnian and preceded biblical readings from Isaiah 52: 7-12 and Paul's second epistle to Timothy 4:1-7.

Expressing his consternation, Islamic jurist Yasser Hussein who spoke to Rebel Priest media, said that such an act could imply that the deceased may have secretly converted to Islam.

The 53-year-old told residents living near Abingdon: "While many things in life are simply a matter of personal preference and taste, this kind of relativism does not apply to Christian doctrine.

"God himself has set controls and boundaries in place in order to keep his beloved people safe.

"Sadly this no longer seems to be the view of the bishops in our diocese.