A Cairo court said today it could rule later this month on whether to divorce outspoken feminist Ms Nawal el-Saadawi from her Muslim husband on the grounds she is an apostate from Islam.
The court said it would decide on July 30th whether to accept a petition by Islamist lawyer Mr Nabih al-Wahsh, who says Ms Saadawi had shown she was no longer a Muslim in a newspaper interview earlier this year.
If the court accepts the case, it could give a verdict immediately against Ms Saadawi or order a trial.
Ms Saadawi says she was quoted out of context by the newspaper. Two journalists presented a taped recording of the interview to the court in Monday's session.
"I am optimistic because the case is illegal," Ms Saadawi told Reuterstoday. "My lawyer was here at home this morning. He said the case is illegal".
A lawyer for Ms Saadawi said in court today the court should reject the case because a recent legal amendment says only state prosecutors are empowered to litigate in personal status law on such matters as divorce.
Ms Saadawi's writings against the oppression of Arab women by ancient traditions, including her very personal account of the pain of female circumcision, have touched a chord with many women around the world.
But in Egypt she is often depicted as an insensitive troublemaker who gained fame by confirming to Westerners their own prejudices about Arab and Islamic culture.
Some religious scholars say a Muslim found guilty of apostasy should face the death penalty. Egypt's mix of secular and Sharia [Islamic] laws are not clear on the issue.