As millions of Muslims gear up for the once-in-lifetime Hajj, everyone can bask in the warmth of these Muslim "high holy days."

In the Name of God: The Extremely and Eternally Loving and Caring ALTHOUGH Eid-ul-Adha is the pinnacle of the Hajj season, it is not the end of it. Starting today, and for the two days after that, the pilgrims will be staying at the tent city of Mina, worshiping, reflecting, and praying. And, each day,…

In the Name of God: The Eternally and Extremely Loving and Caring I usually look at the calendar for the expected timing of the two major Muslim holidays well in advance, so I can plan my work schedule around them. When I saw the expected date for the major Muslim holiday of Eid-ul-Adha, or “Feast…

In the Name of God: The Extremely and Eternally Loving and Caring I saw a similar article come through on my smartphone, and my disbelief prompted me to look up the story: Iran and Saudi Arabia have failed to resolve a row over the Hajj pilgrimage and Iranian citizens will not travel to Mecca this…

In the Name of God: The Extremely and Eternally Loving and Caring I still remember it as if it was yesterday: my wife and I were on our way back from the ritual “stoning of the Devil” during our pilgrimage in 2003. It was very, very crowded, and people were everywhere going in each and…

In the Name of God: The Infinitely Merciful and Compassionate Beloved Lord This is a special time of year for Muslims all over the world. As I write this, millions of Muslims from around the world are descending upon the holy city of Mecca to begin what will likely be the most powerful spiritual experience…

In the Name of God, the Compassionate and Infinitely Merciful Today is a most special day of the Hajj, the day of Arafat. It is said that, on this plain, Adam and Eve were first reunited after their expulsion from the garden. Standing on the plain of Arafat is the most important part of the…

In the Name of God, the Compassionate and Infinitely Merciful Today marks the official first day of the Hajj. We had come back to Mecca from Medina (more about that later) and did another minor Hajj or umrah upon re-entering the city. Then, we headed to the tent city of Mina, where the pilgrims stay during…

  In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful The decision was almost totally spontaneous: my wife and I simply looked at each other and said, “Let’s go to the Hajj this year.” That set in motion a series of events that culminated in the most powerful spiritual experience of my entire life. That…

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful  Today, the over 2 million pilgrims are now standing upon the plain of Arafat, fulfilling the most essential and important ritual of the Hajj, or the pilgrimage to Mecca, which every able-bodied Muslim must perform once in his or her lifetime. I was blessed to perform…

Hesham A. Hassaballa
about

Hesham A. Hassaballa

Hesham A. Hassaballa is a Chicago doctor and writer. He has written extensively on a freelance basis, being published in newspapers across the country and around the world. He has been a Beliefnet columnist since 2001, and has written for the Religion News Service. He is also a columnist for Patheos. His articles have been distributed worldwide by Agence Global, and he was also a guest blogger for The Chicago Tribune and has blogged on ChicagoNow" . In addition, Dr. Hassaballa has appeared as a guest on WTTW (Channel 11) in Chicago, CNN, Fox News, BBC, and National Public Radio.

Dr. Hassaballa is co-author of The Beliefnet Guide to Islam (Doubleday), and his essay, “Why I Love the Ten Commandments,” was published in the award-winning book Taking Back Islam (Rodale). His latest book, Noble Brother, is the story of the Prophet Muhammad told entirely in poetry, and it is now published in its second edition.

In 2007, his blog "God, Faith, and a Pen" was nominated for a Brass Crescent Award for a blog that is “the most stimulating, insightful, and philosophical, providing the best rebuttals to extremist ideology and making an impact whenever they post.” "God, Faith, and a Pen" has also received an award for being one of the "Top Muslim Blogs for 2010" by Awarding The Web.

In addition to writing, Dr. Hassaballa helped found the Chicago Chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations and currently serves on their board of directors. He also co-founded the Bayan H. Hassaballa Charitable Foundation and now serves as its Treasurer.

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