Rayani Air Becomes Malaysia’s First Shariah-Compliant Airline

In Malaysia, the budget airline Rayani Air has become the country’s first to be considered Shariah-compliant.

Malaysia is a predominantly Muslim country, and Shariah is the basic Islamic legal system.

Rayani Air flew its maiden journey Sunday from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to the island of Langkawi. The flight was held in accordance with the Islamic guidelines, including all meals being halal and no alcohol being served onboard.

In addition to the food and drinks, Muslim female members of the flight crew must wear headscarves, while non-Muslim crewmembers are expected to dress respectfully. There will also be prayer recitals before takeoff.

Rayani Air Managing Director Jaafar Zamhari told Star newspaper in Malaysia, “We are the first Malaysian airline to be Shariah-compliant based on guidelines by relevant authorities. We are proud of this.”

While Rayani Air is the first fully Shariah-compliant airline in Malaysia, there are many companies across the world that are Shariah-friendly, including Emirates and Etihad. In the United Kingdom, Firnas Airways plans to offer flights similar to Rayani Air in 2016.

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