Perlis has issued an edict (fatwa) encouraging wives to leave the marital home if they feel their well-being is in jeopardy.

"The fatwa is to avoid injustice towards women/wives.

"Many wives allow themselves to be abused, by saying the religion does not allow them to leave the marital home even when they are in danger," Perlis mufti Asri Zainul Abidin said today.

The fatwa was issued by the Perlis Fatwa Council following their meeting on Dec 20-21 last year.

The fatwa said Muslim wives cannot come and go out of the marital home as they please as it could cause poor relations between husband and wife.

However, the wife should leave the home, even without the permission of the husband, if she feels her religion, physical self, honour, family and/or possessions are in danger.

The wife can also leave the home without her husband's permission if he fails to fulfil his obligation of providing her with a safe home or sustenance, it states.

She can stay out of the marital home without being accused of disobedience until her husband fulfils his obligations, the fatwa reads.

It also states that in Islam, the husband plays the role of protector, guide and head of the family.

In Malaysia, the government compels Muslim couples to sign a prenuptial agreement which states that the marriage is void if the husband fails to provide sustenance for the wife and abandons her for a stipulated amount of time and she complains to the Syariah Court.