Awad Halabi was born in Jerusalem and his family lived in Ramallah until they immigrated to Canada when he was young. He grew up in Toronto, ON., and studied at the University of Toronto and McGill University. He completed his Ph.D. in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies at the University of Toronto specializing in modern Middle Eastern history. He teaches at Wright State University in Dayton, OH, in the Departments of History and Religion focusing on Middle Eastern history and Islam. He serves as the co-ordinator of the Minor in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies and lecture series. His main research interest has been on an Islamic festival in Jerusalem devoted to the Prophet Moses (Nabi Musa). He has published in various journals and edited books. He lives in Dayton with his wife and two children and the family is active in their local church.