The Muslim community in the United States and beyond mourns the passing of Dr. Hesham Alalusi, a man whose life was defined by faith, generosity, and an unwavering commitment to service. A devoted husband, father, grandfather, an accomplished engineer and entrepreneur, and the founder of the Alalusi Foundation in the United States, Dr. Alalusi leaves behind a legacy measured not in material success but in the countless lives he uplifted through compassion, warmth, and principled leadership.
I first met Hesham and Diana, his spouse, in 1992 at the Berkeley Mosque, which was a formative period for the Muslim community in the Bay Area. At the time, Dr. Alalusi was on the Board and served as president at one point. Through the Berkeley Mosque Sunday School and later at UC Berkeley, I got to know his son, Sayf, and daughter, Reem, who took my classes in the Near Eastern Studies Department.
At that time, the Berkeley Mosque was in a rented storefront on Dwight Way, but it was a spiritual home for the community, and the elders, including brother Hesham and his family, regularly brought food for all those fasting during the Month of Ramadan and planned activities for the community and the students. The place was small, but Hesham and the founders managed to fill it with faith, joy, and community. The Berkeley Mosque, as far as I remember, has offered meals for everyone to break their fast together during the month of Ramadan, and brother Hesham always sponsored a number of days and covered any shortage in funds.
Indeed, the students and families in the community who were striving to secure spaces for prayer, learning, and community life that led finally to the current building on Derby Street are all benefiting from Hesham’s early generosity and leadership. In those early efforts to establish a place of worship for students and the broader community, Hesham was among those who stood quietly yet steadfastly in support, offering encouragement, resources, and a sense of responsibility toward building institutions that would serve future generations.
His commitment to institution-building continued in the years that followed. I later had the opportunity to work with him through his early support for Zaytuna Institute, long before it became Zaytuna College, as meetings and planning often took place in his company’s Hayward offices. Hesham understood that the vitality of a community rests upon the institutions it nurtures, the knowledge it cultivates, and the moral commitments it sustains. I can say that every Muslim and Arab community project in the Bay Area, across the country, and parts of the world has benefited from Dr. Alalusi’s deep faith, wisdom, commitment of time, and generosity. No one who came knocking on Hesham’s door left empty-handed, and he was the Sayyid and the Uthman of the Bay Area.
By education and training, Dr. Hesham was an engineer, and through discipline and vision, he built his own company and achieved financial success. Yet what distinguished him most profoundly was how he understood wealth—as a trust from Allah to be deployed for the benefit of others.
His company’s facilities were repeatedly opened to support humanitarian relief efforts. During the devastating genocide in Bosnia, he mobilized resources to assist those facing ethnic cleansing and displacement, as well as joining all of us in the protests. He did the same for relief efforts supporting Palestine, his homeland Iraq, Somalia, Afghanistan, Yemen, Mauritania, Syria, Sudan, and communities ravaged by conflict across the Muslim world. He helped support orphans in Iraq and across the Muslim World, relief organizations, and humanitarian initiatives, and in recent years continued extending unconditional support to the people of Gaza as they faced hunger and devastation amid an unfolding genocide. Brother Hesham always stood with the oppressed, felt their pain, and used whatever he had at his disposal to bring relief to those suffering, no matter their background.
For a period of time, Dr. Alalusi’s home became a gathering place for the community, a space filled with hospitality, food, warmth, and generosity. Students, activists, visiting scholars, and community members found a welcoming environment in his home that nurtured fellowship and solidarity. It was a home that embodied the prophetic ethic of hospitality and service. Everyone who came to Hesham’s house was treated as a family member.
In many ways, Hesham embodied the spirit of Uthman ibn Affan (RA), the companion of the Prophet ﷺ, remembered for his generosity and quiet service to the community. Like Uthman, Hesham gave without seeking recognition. His generosity was constant, principled, and rooted in faith. If you search Dr. Hesham Alalusi’s name on Google, you will find only a few photos and references, which is a testament to the acceptance, insha’Allah, of all his deeds by Allah, considering the extensive good that he did across all sectors.
The Qur’an reminds believers of the enduring value of such acts of generosity:
Allah says in the Qur’an:
مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ يُنْفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ حَبَّةٍ أَنْبَتَتْ سَبْعَ سَنَابِلَ فِي كُلِّ سُنْبُلَةٍ مِائَةُ حَبَّةٍ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يُضَاعِفُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ ۗ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ
“The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like a seed that grows seven ears; in every ear are a hundred grains. And Allah multiplies for whom He wills. And Allah is All-Encompassing and Knowing.”
(Qur’an 2:261)
This verse captures the spirit that animated Hesham’s life: the belief that what is given for the sake of Allah multiplies beyond measure.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ also taught that a believer’s legacy continues even after death:
قال رسول الله ﷺ:
“إذا مات ابن آدم انقطع عمله إلا من ثلاث: صدقة جارية، أو علم يُنتفع به، أو ولد صالح يدعو له.”
(رواه مسلم)
“When the son of Adam dies, his deeds come to an end except for three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child who prays for him.”
(Sahih Muslim)
Few lives reflect the meaning of ṣadaqah jāriyah (ongoing charity) as clearly as the life of Dr. Hesham Alalusi. Through the institutions he supported, the relief efforts he enabled, and the lives he uplifted, his impact will continue long after his passing.
We also remember the prophetic supplication taught for one who has passed away:
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْهُ، وَعَافِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنْهُ، وَأَكْرِمْ نُزُلَهُ، وَوَسِّعْ مُدْخَلَهُ، وَاغْسِلْهُ بِالْمَاءِ وَالثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ، وَنَقِّهِ مِنَ الْخَطَايَا كَمَا نَقَّيْتَ الثَّوْبَ الأَبْيَضَ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ، وَأَبْدِلْهُ دَارًا خَيْرًا مِنْ دَارِهِ، وَأَهْلًا خَيْرًا مِنْ أَهْلِهِ، وَزَوْجًا خَيْرًا مِنْ زَوْجِهِ، وَأَدْخِلْهُ الْجَنَّةَ، وَأَعِذْهُ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ وَمِنْ عَذَابِ النَّارِ
“O Allah, forgive him and have mercy on him, grant him ease and pardon him, honor his reception and expand his grave, wash him with water, snow, and ice, cleanse him of sins as a white garment is cleansed of dirt, replace his home with a better home, his family with a better family, admit him into Paradise, and protect him from the punishment of the grave and the punishment of the Fire.”
Dr. Hesham Alalusi leaves behind his beloved family—his wife Diana, children Sayf and Reem, grandchildren, and loved ones—who shared him with a community that benefited from his generosity and leadership. He also leaves behind institutions strengthened by his support, humanitarian initiatives sustained by his giving, and a community that will remember him as a man who embodied the ethics of faith in action.
His passing marks a profound loss, a Sayyid, a mountain like no other, yet his legacy endures in every act of generosity he inspired, every institution he helped build, and every life he touched.
May Allah envelop Dr. Hesham Alalusi in His mercy, grant him the highest ranks in Jannat al-Firdaus, accept his lifelong charity and service, and grant patience and comfort to his family and loved ones.
إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ
“Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we return.” (Qur’an 2:156)
Hon. Rashida Tlaib recognized the work and impact of Dr. Hesham on his 81st Birthday with the following resolution:
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CELEBRATING THE 81ST BIRTHDAY OF DR. HESHAM ALALUSI
HON. RASHIDA TLAIB
of Michigan
in the House of Representatives
Tuesday, July 29, 2025
Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, I proudly honor the accomplishments and
community dedication of Dr. Hesham Alalusi on his 81st birthday. We
recognize his service as a distinguished engineer, educator, and
humanitarian work at home and abroad.
He is proud of his roots and being born in Baghdad, Iraq. Dr. Alalusi
was orphaned as a teen, and even under enormous challenges, he earned a
PhD in civil and structural engineering from UC Berkeley and went on to
shape Iraq’s infrastructure and engineering future before political
unrest led him to resettle in the U.S.
Dr. Alalusi’s most enduring contribution, however, lies in the
founding of the Alalusi Foundation, which has delivered over 830
million in humanitarian aid to orphans, widows, and families in Iraq,
Syria, and Palestine, for medical assistance, food security, and access
to clean water.
He has been married to his lovely wife, Diana, for 58 years, and has
two children and six grandchildren. Dr. Alalusi’s life exemplifies
resilience, generosity, and global compassion, and I am proud to uplift
his remarkable legacy on his 81st birthday.
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