Dr Ali Hussain, Author at Sacred Footsteps

JoinedAugust 13, 2024

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Dr. Ali Hussain was born in Baghdad to an Iraqi father and an Egyptian mother. Following the First Gulf War in 1990, he moved with his family to Jordan and later to the United States, where he completed a Master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence at Eastern Michigan University and went on to earn a Doctorate in Islamic Mysticism from the University of Michigan. Alongside his academic formation, he pursued traditional Islamic studies in Tarim, Yemen, and other centres of learning. Coming from a family of artists, Dr. Hussain naturally gravitated toward examining the sacred underpinnings of creativity and contemporary culture, a theme that shaped much of his doctoral work. A trained musician with a certificate in oud performance from the Crescendo Musical Academy in Jordan, he has spent over a decade teaching workshops that explore the relationship between art, spirituality, and the human experience. He is currently working as founder and resident scholar at the Studio of Meaning, where he provides creative consultancy to a range of artists and organisations while continuing to teach the oud in a more intimate, one-to-one setting. Dr. Hussain also leads workshops aimed at reviving a deeper appreciation for the Muslim world’s expansive artistic and intellectual heritage—particularly among younger audiences.

An image from the James Webb Telescope showing a corner of the Universe where young stars are created. A clear sign of God.

Dr Ali Hussain

Signs of God on the Horizons: The Universe and God’s Verses

We begin with a key Quranic term, āyah, which we – almost always – translate as ‘verse’ in the Muslim scripture. However, this word also means ‘sign’ and herein emerges the crucial metaphysical node in our discourse. We find the following verse in (41:53): “We shall show them Our āyāt [signs/verses] in the horizons and in their own selves until it is clear to them that this is the truth.” But which meaning of āyāt (sg. āyah) is intended here: ‘verse’ or ‘sign’? Precisely both at the same time, because these two renditions are inseparable and intimately related.