A Muslim cleric in Saudi Arabia says wives are permitted to refuse to have sex with their husbands who do not comply with precautions against the novel coronavirus.

Sheikh Abdulla al-Mutlaq, a member of a senior scholars’ authority in the kingdom, said this when answered a viewer who sent her question to a TV religious show called “Fatwa,” which is aired on state TV.

“You are not a sinner at all … you are protecting yourself,” al-Mutlaq said.

The woman said that her husband does not stay at home and is not sticking to the declared restrictions.

She added she fears getting infected with the coronavirus if she responds to his desire to sleep with her.

“Immunise yourself and stay away from him. If a husband is careless, so the wife has the right to refrain from him,” he added.

The kingdom has reported a total of 1,720 infections with the virus, with 16 fatalities. (dpa/NAN)