Duke University officials withdrew their approval of a plan by Muslim students to hold their Call to Prayer rites at the chapel tower, citing "serious security threats" as reason for the cancellation.

The three-minute religious chant, which has been held at the university's basement for years, was due to start broadcasting from the bell tower this Friday. But the venue has now been moved to the quad outside the chapel.

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In a statement released Thursday, Duke University Vice President for public affairs Michael Schoenfeld said they remain committed to fostering a welcoming campus for all their students.

"However, it was clear that what was conceived as an effort to unify was not having the intended effect," Schoenfeld added, in a bid to explain the cancellation.

The university, whose 15,000-student population includes around 700 Muslims, was earlier lambasted by Samaritan Purse head Franklin Graham for allowing the holding of the Muslim chants at the chapel's bell tower.

Graham, son of Christian evangelist Rev. Billy Graham, had posted his comments on Facebook on Wednesday, accusing Islam followers of "butchering" those who do not cotton to their faith.

Graham further stressed in a radio interview that he does not owe anyone an apology for his comments, but that Duke University owes its Christian students and donors an apology for opening up the chapel to non-Christians. He likened the act to turning the chapel into a Muslim minaret, which he said was a "slap at the Christian faith."

Khalila Sabra, the executive director of the Muslim American Society in Raleigh, responded to the cancelation saying that Duke University's decision was a terrible shame.

"Duke took a coward's way out and cannot pretend to be advocates of diversity. This was primarily because it caved into the fallout nourished by racism. A huge gap could have been bridged; now it may remain broken," Sabra said.

TagsDuke University, Muslim, Adhan