1937-2026
On February 6 we received word that our beloved mentor, guide, and inspiration, Dr. Asad Ali had passed away. This spiritual friendship began in 1989 when, by an extraordinary set of circumstances, Camille and I were invited to travel to Damascus to meet this great friend of God, scholar, and literary figure. Over 35 years and four extended visits to Damascus, we were introduced to new spiritual depths of the Qur’an, hadith, and Rumi (Dr. Ali had done a PhD in Qom with the great Rumi scholar, Badiuzzaman Forouzanfar). Spending long days and evenings with him and the flow of guests that came into his presence, we experienced some of the most beautiful teachings and conversations of our lives . Along the way, we translated and had published two of his works: Happiness without Death (Threshold) and Civilization of Paradise (Fons Vitae).
For an account and transcription of a typical evening with him read: “A Visit with Dr. Ali.”
