How does the sacred remain alive as it moves across languages, cultures, and historical worlds?
Join us on for a special session of the Grounding on Culture and the Sacred in Translation as we explores how culture becomes not a barrier to the sacred, but one of the spaces through which sacred meaning is received, interpreted, and lived.
Led by visiting speaker Dr. Ali Hussain accompanied by regular speaker Ust. Saad Omar, we will discuss how in the Islamic tradition, translation has never been limited to words alone—it has also involved translating meaning into lived practice, beauty, ethics, and culture. From the revealed language of the Qur’an to the embodied example of the Prophet ﷺ in the Hadith and Sunnah, Islam offers a vision in which divine guidance enters human life while speaking across different peoples and places.
Drawing on reflections from the Qur’an, Prophetic teachings, and the broader Islamic intellectual tradition, we will consider what it means to preserve fidelity while remaining responsive to changing contexts. How do Muslims communicate timeless truths in contemporary cultural forms? What responsibilities accompany the act of interpreting and transmitting sacred meaning? How can we think of translation not simply as linguistic exchange, but as an act of stewardship?
Featuring a talk and discussion, doors open at 7:15 for coffee and connection with the event beginning at 7:30 in Qahwa Cafe. Purchasing a ticket is encouraged but not mandatory and donations are always graciously appreciated to help support future events. We look forward to your attendance.
About the Grounding
Comprised of a talk and discussion questions, our weekly interactive series for young adults and working professionals ages 21+ examines contemporary issues through spiritual lens.
About Dr. Ali Hussain
Dr. Ali Hussain was born in Baghdad to an Iraqi father and Egyptian mother. Following the First Gulf War in 1990, he moved with his family to Jordan and later 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, Dr. Ali Hussain pursued traditional Islamic studies in Tarim, Yemen, and other centres of learning. Coming from a family of artists, he naturally gravitated toward examining the sacred underpinnings of creativity and contemporary culture, a theme that shaped much of his doctoral work.
He is currently the founder and resident scholar at the Studio of Meaning, where he writes weekly essays and teaches classes on the life and thought of Ibn Arabi for today's world.
About Saad Omar
Saad Omar graduated from Georgetown University with a degree in English and a masters in nonprofit management. He has studied Islam and Arabic in Mecca, Jordan, Turkey and across the United States and lectured widely across United States, Canada and Europe. He is a published songwriter and poet, teacher and entrepreneur. He is currently working on building a living community, nonprofit cafe and business incubator in Fairfax, VA.
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