Rayani Air, Maskapai Syariah Pertama di Dunia dari Malaysia
Female Staff in Hijabs, Prayers Before Take-off and No Alcohol
Editor : Ismail Gani
Translator : Novita Cahyadi
MASKAPAI penerbangan Islam pertama, Rayani Air diluncurkan oleh Malaysia, yang menjalani penerbangan perdana dari ibukota negara ke destinasi Pulau Langkawi pada Selasa.
Seluruh hidangan yang disajikan selama penerbangan dijamin halal, tanpa alkohol karena dinyatakan haram dalam ajaran Islam, sesuai hukum Syariah.
Seragam yang mereka kenakan juga berpedoman pada aturan Syariah, awak kabin wanita wajib mengenakan jilbab sementara yang non-muslim harus mengenakan pakaian sopan.
Penumpang juga diajak berdoa sesuai ajaran Islam sebelum pesawat lepas landas.
Direktur Pelaksana Rayani Air, Jaafar Zamhari kepada surat kabar the Star mengatakan: "Kami adalah maskapai syariah pertama Malaysia yang mengusung ketentuan Islam berdasarkan pedoman dari otoritas terkait. Kami bangga akan hal ini."
'Aspek ketentuan syariah akan disempurnakan seiring berjalannya waktu," tambahnya yang akan menyusun aturan sesuai ajaran Islam dalam bahasa Arab.
Sebelumnya ada maskapai syariah lain yang beroperasi di seluruh dunia, dan berbasis di Inggris yakni Firnas Airways yang berencana menawarkan layanan penerbangan serupa pada tahun depan, menurut laporan kantor berita Bloomberg yang dilansir MailOnline.
Sesuai ketentuan dari konsep halal - yang berarti 'diperbolehkan' dalam bahasa Arab - daging babi dan produk sampingannya, alkohol dan hewan tidak disembelih menurut prosedur Islam dinyatakan 'haram' atau dilarang.
Standar halal juga berlaku untuk produk seperti kosmetik, yang mungkin berisi bahan hewani, dan dalam kondisi siap pakai atau disimpan penumpang.
Mayoritas Muslim Malaysia telah lama mempraktikkan bentuk moderat Islam tetapi sikap konservatif meningkat.
Sebuah konvensi halal di Kuala Lumpur awal tahun ini, yang menarik ribuan delegasi dan ratusan peserta pameran, memamerkan produk mulai dari makanan dan kosmetik kolagen yang dihasilkan dari yak di Tibet.
MALAYSIA'S first Islamic-compliant airline Rayani Air has launched, with its maiden flight taking off from the capital to the resort island of Langkawi yesterday.
In-flight meals served on board its flights are completely halal, with alcohol consumption strictly prohibited, in compliance with Shariah laws.
The dress code is also reflective of Shariah guidelines, as Muslim flight crew must wear the hijab while non-Muslim crew have to be decently dressed.
There will also be prayer recitals on the plane before take-off.
The company's Managing Director Jaafar Zamhari told the Star newspaper: 'We are the first Malaysian airline to be shariah-compliant based on guidelines by relevant authorities. We are proud of this.
'The shariah-compliant aspects will be refined as time goes by,' he added using the Arabic word for Islamic law.
There are already other shariah-friendly carriers operating around the world, and UK-based Firnas Airways is planning to offer similar flights next year, according to a Bloomberg news agency report.
Under the concept of halal - meaning 'permissible' in Arabic - pork and its by-products, alcohol and animals not slaughtered according to Islamic procedures are all 'haram' or forbidden.
Halal standards also apply to products such as cosmetics, which may contain animal-derived ingredients, and the conditions under which they are prepared and stored.
Muslim-majority Malaysia has long practised a moderate form of Islam but conservative attitudes are rising.
A company recently introduced halal bottled mineral water in Malaysia, and Islamic speed dating sessions - where single women are chaperoned - have been embraced.
A halal convention in Kuala Lumpur earlier this year, which drew thousands of delegates and hundreds of exhibitors, showcased products ranging from food and cosmetics to collagen produced from yaks in Tibet.
