[6] Hussain completed a bachelor's degree in two years, in both philosophy and political science, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

He subsequently obtained an MPA from the John F. Kennedy School of Government and a Master's degree in Arabic and Islamic Studies, both from Harvard University.

After Harvard, he worked as a legislative aide for the House Judiciary Committee, where he served during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and reviewed the Patriot Act and other bills.

The Washington Post reported that, "After the 2008 election, Hussain was recruited to the White House Counsel's office by Greg Craig and Cassandra Butts, a fellow Tar Heel and Obama's former Harvard Law classmate.

"[13] Ben Rhodes, Obama's chief foreign policy speechwriter and Deputy National Security Advisor, sought Hussain's counsel as he drafted the president's Cairo address and other speeches to Muslim audiences.

"[18][19] The Washington Post stated in addition to his personal background, "Muslims abroad are ... likely to take note of his White House credentials, and access to the Oval Office, as he seeks partnerships in education, health, science and technology."

It also noted that Hussain "briefed Obama before his first interview as president--with Al Arabiya, contributed to Obama's two major speeches to Muslims--in Ankara, Turkey and Cairo, traveled to the Middle East with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and, closer to home, helped organize a Ramadan dinner at the White House[20][21] that replaced the usual crowd of ambassadors with young American Muslims.

They discussed a number of issues, including Syria, the democratic transitions in the Middle East and North Africa, and U.S. engagement with Muslim communities around the world.

[31] Hussain also led an international peacemaking delegation to the Central African Republic in 2014 to meet with President Samba-Panza and civil society leaders.

[34] The OIC has been increasingly active in condemning violent extremism,[35] including attacks on religious minorities,[36] and the kidnapping of school girls by Boko Haram in Nigeria.

In an op-ed on addressing anti-Semitism in the Muslim world, he condemned the broadcast of an anti-Semitic film aired in some Muslim-majority countries, arguing that Jews and Christians face discrimination and violence in these countries and that "Efforts must be made to ensure that textbooks and television programming in the Muslim world are free from the types of dehumanizing ideas and images that breed intolerance and hate.

"[42] Speaking to Foreign Ministers of Muslim countries at the OIC Ministerial in Guinea in 2013, he also criticized "restrictions on places of worship, including churches and synagogues" as "unacceptable.

"[49] In January 2013, Mr. Hussain received the Distinguished Honor Award from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, which is given for "exceptionally outstanding service to the agencies of the U.S. Government resulting in achievements of marked national or international significance.

[58] In 2015, The Washington Post reported that Hussain was appointed to shift US messaging efforts by building partnerships with international NGOs and other governments to counter terrorist propaganda.