She moved to Sweden in 1979 and almost immediately came into contact with Islam via people in her neighbourhood, converting to that religion.

She married Mohamed Benaouda, a Moroccan living in Sweden, who died in a drowning accident in 1999.

In this capacity she participated in the wedding of Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, and Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland.

For a time, she was a member of the Feminist Initiative Party but came to consider that Islam was a higher form of feminism.

In December 2010, Awad was arrested in Denmark for plotting a terrorist attack in revenge for the magazine Jyllands-Posten's publication of cartoons against Muhammed.