Saudi Imam tells wives it's okay to refuse their husbands s.e.x during coronavirus lockdown

A Saudi cleric has told women it is okay to refuse to have s.e.x with their husbands during the coronavirus outbreak.

Religious scholar Abdullah Muhammad Al-Mutlaq, an adviser at the Saudi royal court, gave the advice while appearing on a live state TV call-in show.  Al-Mutlaq received a call from a viewer asking if it was a “sin” for her to refuse her husband s.e.x during the pandemic lockdown.

The viewer appeared to be fearful of a twisted interpretation of Islamic law peddled by some ultraconservative scholars that wives have to submit to their husbands.

Al-Mutlaq, a member of the kingdom’s Council of Senior Scholars, gave a forward-thinking response as he said she was well within her rights to kick him out of bed.

News outlet Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported the viewer asked:

My husband never stays at home and couldn't care less about the measures in place. I'm terrified he'll give me the virus. When he asks me to sleep with him, I'm going to refuse because I'm scared for myself and my kids.

Am I falling into sin?”Al-Mutlaq said: 

If he isn't listening to you and if he isn't staying at home, you've got no reason to be worried [by rejecting his advances]. You should avoid him and keep away from him. He must self-isolate for 14 days.

He added: 

You are not a sinner at all, you protect yourself.

The cleric also advised another woman that she could give up her conjugal rights to her husband’s second wife as she was fearful of being infected with Covid-19.