Scholar Kassim Ahmad today claimed trial at the Syariah High Court in Putrajaya, to two charges of deriding the Islamic religion and failure to abide by the religious authorities' instructions.

Kassim, 81, was seen using a walking stick as he claimed trial when the charge was read out before judge Umamuddin Yunus.

He is charged under Section 7(b) and Section 9 of the Federal Territory Syariah Offences Act 1997.

He is alleged to have committed the offences at a seminar on Feb 16 titled 'Kassim Ahmad: An evaluation in the direction of the Malays and Malaysia within 30 years'.

It was held at Yayasan Kepimpinan Perdana, in Putrajaya.
 
In the talk , Kassim was alleged to have degraded Islam when he reportedly said that people seemed to idolise Prophet Muhammad and that the aurat of a woman does not include her hair.
 
The octogenarian is also charged under Section 9 for violating the religious authorities' instructions in delivering those views and in citing two books authored by him that are banned by the authorities.

The books are Hadis: Satu Penilaian semula (Hadith: A reevaluation) and Hadis: Jawapan Kepada Pengkritik (Hadith: Answering the critics).
 
Kassim, who was yesterday picked up from his home in Kulim, Kedah, faces a RM3,000 fine or maximum two years' jail term or both, on each charge.

He was released after posting bail of RM6,000.
 
Prosecution was done by Federal Territory Islamic Department legal department head Ibrahim Deris.

Among those present in court was social activist Marina Mahathir.