that seems like a strange analogy. they serve many markets (India is a major one for example). there is nothing which forbids them from serving alcohol to non-Muslim travelers.

I actually didn't know that. I had assumed that alcohol was haram and thus considered unclean, or at least that it would be sinful to participate in the production or distribution of it, even to nonbelievers.

Well Islam is not only what extremists make us think of it. When it comes to actual muslims, there's a gradient from totally-by-the-book to muslim-merely-in-the-name. Many muslims consume alcoholic drinks.

True, though even "totally-by-the-book", Islam allows the consumption of alcohol for non-Muslims. This is why alcohol is usually available at hotels, even in Saudi Arabia.

> True, though even "totally-by-the-book", Islam allows the consumption of alcohol for non-Muslims

And, depending on who you ask, for Muslims too. The prohibition is against rice wine, which most Muslims generalize to include all alcohol, but some interpret that to mean only rice wine, or only wine.

Well, when you say by-the-book, at the end of the day, it's possible to make the book say anything. For example wrt homosexuality, it's possible to generate valid arguments pro and contro based on each of three major abrahamitic canons. My father occasionally went to friday midday prayers, and fasted every ramadan. But then again, he drunk unfathomable amounts of vodka and beer and he smoked. So for some he was a sinner destined to go to hell, but for others he was a zealot. I guess that's why religious canons are fun reads but not the books to build an outlook and a philosophy upon.

Not quite- hotels don't serve alcohol in Saudi or in Kuwait. But you are right that the religion itself doesn't say anything about non-Muslims consuming alcohol.

> they serve many markets (India is a major one for example)

Yup. By passenger volume, Emirates serves more Indians than any other group.

That's not that surprising when you realize that Dubai, their headquarters, is 90% Asian (which is itself mostly South Asian).