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A controversial preacher who described homosexuality as a “scourge” has been invited to speak at a London university the day before a national gay pride event takes place there.

More than 500 people have signed a petition against allowing Haitham al-Haddad to speak at the University of Westminster’s Islamic Society event on Thursday.

Dr al-Haddad has called homosexuality a “criminal act”, as well as saying there is a “proper” way of performing FGM. He has also argued that the authorities should not become involved in domestic disputes, saying: “A man should not be questioned why he hit his wife, because this is something between them.”

His appearance as keynote speaker at an event called “Who is Muhammad” comes the day before the National Student Pride Festival is launched at the university.

Students from more than 100 universities are expected to travel to the three day event, and speakers include Evan Davis and Dustin Lance Black, screenwriter and boyfriend of Tom Daley.

A spokesman for Student Pride said: “Considering Westminster is a Stonewall Diversity Champion and is such an advocate of our event it is disappointing that on the eve of our tenth anniversary such an anti-gay speaker has been allowed to speak on campus,

“Homosexuality is not a scourge, and Student Pride has been fighting views like this from its foundation, it’s clear and unfortunate news that there is clearly much work to do.

“We are going ahead with the event at Westminster, because we need to highlight homophobia and transphobia on campus.”

National Student Pride was originally conceived at Oxford Brookes University, as a response to its Christian Union’s position on homosexuality, and it has been steadily growing since.

Eve Hartley, spokeswoman for the LGBTI Society, said: “As students we should never be met with the possibility of facing hate in the hands of our own Student Union.

“University is not the place to welcome controversial attacks on specific parts of our community and we will not stand for it.”

A spokeswoman for the University of Westminster said: “The University of Westminster is committed to maintaining freedom of speech and a range of views as set out in the Education Act 1986. As a diverse community of local and international students of many faiths, respect and tolerance is our foremost concern and we will be monitoring the event carefully and any student concerns.

“The University has a strict speaker policy which means that all speakers are required to give their agreement to abide by a code of practice. Speakers who do not comply with this policy while on campus will not be permitted to speak at the University in the future.”

Dr al-Haddad’s appearance at Westminster follows a similar row in 2013 when he spoke to more than 300 students there at an Islamic Society event.

Last year he spoke at the School of Oriental and African studies about why lending money with interest is forbidden in Islam. A spokesman for SOAS student union said the event was “stewarded” to ensure the discussion remained “on topic”.

He was stopped from speaking at the LSE in February 2012, but allowed on campus in May that year.

London Metropolitan university said it had “concerns” about an invitation to Dr al-Haddad to speak on campus last year and “following a positive discussion with the talk’s organisers, the students decided not to proceed with the event.”