Meet the Moroccan on a mission to shatter stereotypes about Islam

Meet the Moroccan on a mission to shatter stereotypes about Islam
Copyright EURONEWS
By Méabh Mc Mahon
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We meet one Brussels-based Moroccan who wants to change perceptions about Islam through her brand new lifestyle video blog.

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Shattering stereotypes about Muslim women and changing misconceptions about Islam – the reason 28-year-old Soundous Boualam decided to launch her own video blog.

A big fan of yoga and cooking, the Brussels-based Moroccan wants to paint a truthful picture of an Islamic upbringing and the positive teachings in the Qur’an.

"I really want people to feel lighter and feel a bit more healed when they look at the videos," Boualam told Euronews. 

"And I chose this angle also because I feel that Islam in general is just over politicised in the media and in the conversation in general. 

"Whereas how I see Islam is actually a way out of the daily stresses that we can have."

Brought up in Rabat in a house full of girls with encouraging, progressive parents, Boualam vlogs in English to reach Muslims and non-Muslims alike. 

She hopes to empower other women to speak up and join the religious discourse that is often dominated by men. 

Growing up, she was also empowered to wear what she wanted, behave as she wanted, speak up for herself and never be dependent on a man for anything.

"I would say that especially being a woman, it's important that I speak out about how Islam really empowers me and makes me feel free because there is a lot of misinformation and there are misconceptions about what Islam truly means," she said. 

"Whereas the reality is that in Islam, for example, in the Qur'an, it is said that God created us men and women from one same soul."

A feminist, activist and pro-European, Boualam hopes that by opening her home to the world in her free time, she will counter Islamophobia.

"The best way to combat all of the hate and the lies that these people are spreading is to actually tell the truth and show the beauty. 

"That is at least the angle that I'm choosing to take.

"I used to be angry and sad. Now, I'm rather confident that by telling the truth, my voice and the voices of others who do the same will be stronger than their hate. Inshallah."

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