EXHIBIT 31.1

                  CERTIFICATION OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER
           PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

I, Jerry S. Rawls, certify that:

          1.  I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Finisar
     Corporation;

          2.  Based on my knowledge, this annual report does not contain any
     untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
     necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under
     which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period
     covered by this annual report;

          3.  Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other
     financial information included in this annual report, fairly present in all
     material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash
     flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this
     annual report;

          4.  The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible
     for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as
     defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the registrant
     and we have:

             (a) designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that
        material information relating to the registrant, including its
        consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those
        entities, particularly during the period in which this annual report is
        being prepared;

             (b) evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure
        controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing
        date of this annual report (the "Evaluation Date"); and

             (c) presented in this annual report our conclusions about the
        effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on our
        evaluation as of the Evaluation Date;

          5.  The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed,
     based on our most recent evaluation, to the registrant's auditors and the
     audit committee of the registrant's board of directors:

             (a) all significant deficiencies in the design or operation of
        internal controls which could adversely affect the registrant's ability
        to record, process, summarize and report financial data and have
        identified for the registrant's auditors any material weaknesses in
        internal controls; and

             (b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or
        other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal
        controls; and

          6.  The registrant's other certifying officer and I have indicated in
     this annual report whether or not there were significant changes in
     internal controls or in other factors that could significantly affect
     internal controls subsequent to the date of our most recent evaluation,
     including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies
     and material weaknesses.

                                                  /s/ JERRY S. RAWLS
                                          --------------------------------------
                                                      Jerry S. Rawls
                                                 Chief Executive Officer

Dated: July 29, 2003