Nasr City misdemeanour court adjourned on Sunday the trial of Islamic cleric Ahmed Abdullah, also known as Abu Islam, to 4 November.
Abu Islam, founder of Umma Islamic TV channel, his son Islam, and Hany Gad Allah, a news reporter, are charged with contempt of Christianity and burning the Bible in front of the US embassy in Cairo.
Abu Islam is considered the first Muslim to face charges of contempt of Christianity in Egypt. Azziza El-Taweel, Egyptian lawyer, explained that all previous contempt of religion cases were filed against Christians, or accused Muslims of insulting Islam.
“The most remarkable thing about this case is being the first actual legal movement towards the punishment of a person insulting Christianity,” explained Azziza.
The trial was adjourned after a request by Abu Islam lawyers. The lawyers’ justification was that the current court bench didn’t execute their demands.
Abu Islam appeared in a video released by Umma channel, where he tore the Bible apart while participating in a protest in front of the US embassy in Cairo, reacting to the “Innocence of Muslims” film, which was perceived as insulting to Islam.
Abu Islam said he did not recognise the Bible as a holy book.
“I didn’t burn the Bible, there is no book on the face of the earth called the Bible from the Quran’s and the prophet’s point of view,” he said.
Accordingly, a lawsuit was filed against Abu Islam, where he faces the charge of contempt of the Christian religion.
