Hussain is a devout Muslim, a ‘hafiz’.
By Raif Karerat
WASHINGTON, DC: Indian American attorney Rashad Hussain has been designated Special Envoy and Coordinator for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications by President Barack Obama’s administration.
In his new role, Hussain will facilitate the expansion of global engagement and partnerships on behalf of the United States in order to counteract violent extremism, according to a release from the U.S. Department of State’s Office of the Spokesperson.
Hussain, 37, currently serves as the Special Envoy of the U.S. to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Prior to his role there, he was Deputy Associate Counsel to Obama, focusing on national security, new media, and the fields of science and technology.
He has also fulfilled the role of Director for Global Engagement at the National Security Council (NSC) and prosecuted cases in Washington as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney. In 2009 Hussain worked with the NSC to develop and the “New Beginning” for U.S.-Muslim relations famously outlined by Obama in Cairo.
Prior to joining the White House, Hussain was a member of the legal staff for the Presidential Transition Team and a legislative assistant on the House Judiciary Committee, where he focused on national security-related issues.
In January of 2009 Hussain, the son of Indian immigrants, was awarded with the Distinguished Honor Award “for exceptionally outstanding service to the agencies of the U.S. Government resulting in achievements of marked national or international significance.”
He received his Juris Doctor from Yale Law School, where he served as an editor of the Yale Law Journal, and also garnered dual Master’s degrees in Public Administration and Arabic/Islamic Studies from Harvard.
Hussain, whose academic writings have focused on national security, constitutional law, and civil liberties, is also a hafiz — someone who has completely memorized the Muslim holy book of the Quran.