330 East Roosevelt Road, Suite G5, Lombard, IL 60148 - Ph.: 630.629.7490 � Fax: 630.629.7492
Contact: Dr. Hesham Hassaballa [CIOGC Media Relations Committee – 630-989-0576]

PRESS RELEASE
Chicago - Wednesday, January 19, 2005

CHICAGO MUSLIMS CELEBRATE END OF HAJJ (HOLY PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA) WITH EID UL-ADHA (FESTIVAL OF THE SACRIFICE PRAYERS)

The Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago (CIOGC), an umbrella organization representing over 400,000 Muslims throughout Chicagoland, proudly announces the end of the Hajj (Islamic holy pilgrimage to Mecca) with congregational prayers of Eid ul-Adha (EED-al-ODD-ha) throughout Chicagoland on January 21, 2005. Eid ul-Adha (EED-al-ODD-ha), or “festival of sacrifice” is a joyful time of thanksgiving. This holiday commemorates the Prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael at God's command. The Hajj is an annual pilgrimage of over 2.5 million Muslims from around the world to Mecca, Saudi Arabia and the holy sites around the city.

Special congregational prayers mark the Eid ul-Adha holiday, in which Muslims exchange social visits, give gifts, and seek to strengthen bonds of community. During this holiday, Muslims greet each other by saying "Eid Mubarak" (EED-moo-BAR-ak), meaning "blessed Eid," and "taqabbalallah ta'atakum," or "may God accept your deeds." Many communities hold bazaars following the prayers.

Eid ul-Adha is one of two major Muslim holidays. The second holiday comes at the end of the holy month of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting. There are an estimated 400,000 Muslims in Chicagoland, seven million Muslims in America and some 1.2 billion worldwide.

WHERE: The Eid prayers will be held either in local mosques or in public facilities designed to accommodate large gatherings. Some of the locations for Eid prayers on January 21, 2005 are identified below. A complete list of Eid prayer locations is available on the Council’s website (www.ciogc.org).

For further information please contact Dr. Hesham Hassaballa at 630-989-0576.

The Council is a federation of approximately 50 major Islamic centers, mosques, academic institutions, schools, civic, professional, and social service groups. Through its member organizations, the Council represents the collective interests and viewpoint of over 400,000 individual Muslims in Chicago's greater vicinity. Two of the Council's primary goals are to facilitate and coordinate key initiatives for Chicago-area Muslim organizations, and to establish and maintain productive collaborative relationships with institutions dedicated to community building and enhancement.

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