Malaysia launched ‘Rayani Air’ as its first Islamic airline

Kuala Lumpur: Rayani Air, Malaysia’s first Sharia-compliant airline begins with a recital of Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) supplication before his travel.

Launched on Sunday, the flight following the tenets of Islamic law that ban alcohol, allow only halal foodstuffs, and require Muslim air stewardesses obliged to wear the hijab (the Islamic headcarf) to cover their hair.

Ironically, the airline’s founders, who used parts of their first names for naming the carrier, are Hindus — Ravi Alagendrran and his wife, Karthiyani Govindan, the AP reported.

“It is compulsory for our Muslim women cabin crew to wear hijab and for non-Muslims to wear a decent uniform”, said Mr. Jaafar Zamhari, Rayani Air’s managing director, according to local news outlet Astro Awani.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0n7U71-8C0

“We also recite doa [prayers] before the departure of each flight, we have a ‘no-alcohol’ policy, and we provide food and beverages that are halal.”

After two major air catastrophe of Malaysia Airlines — Flight 370 that went missing in March 2014 and Flight 17 downed a few months after over Ukraine, conservative Muslims believed that caused by Allah’s wrath. Therefore an idea for Rayani Air grew out as a solution that must adopt strict Islamic customs to avoid divine retribution, the AP reported.

Rayani Air is the fourth Islamic airline in the world after Saudi Arabian Airlines, Royal Brunei Airlines and Iran Air.