A great-grandmother by day and a social activist by night, Madame Jehan Sadat graced the Eisenhower Auditorium last night at 8.

The former first lady of Egypt and the first wife of a Muslim leader to have her picture in the newspaper, to travel outside her country and support causes -- Madame Jehan Sadat has paved the way for women's rights.

Sadat was the first lady of Egypt from 1970-81 until Ayman al-Zawahri, an Egyptian doctor and top lieutenant to Osama bin Laden, assassinated her husband, Anwar Sadat.

She acknowledged the impression that terrorism associated with Middle Eastern countries has been imprinted in American minds but said, "Terrorists took from me the love of my life."

She stressed that Islam is a religion of peace and that an overwhelming majority of Muslims and Arabs condemn terrorists. She said terrorism and war are not the answer and the only way toward peace between all countries is negotiation.

"Anwar Sadat's way is not the only way for peace, but it's the only way that has worked," she said.

Madame Jehan Sadat is not only known for following in her husband's quest for peace but also as a women's rights advocate. She started by establishing the Talla Society in Egypt. The first lady shouldn't just hold parties, she said, but has a duty to the people. The Talla Society helps underprivileged women learn skills like sewing so they can make money and support their families.

Sadat also organized a reform to the Egyptian Civil Rights Law concerning divorce and women. It is also referred to as Jehan's Law in Egypt.

"I myself saw women going back and forth from court and their husbands would not pay alimony or would just disappear," she said.

The new law has the wife keep the living quarters and the children, while the husband pays alimony that is taken directly from his paycheck.

"My only son had a divorce and he came to me and said, 'See what you have done?' ... I replied, 'It's only fair,' " she said.

The first step toward women's equality is for women to open the door and educate themselves, Sadat said. She also said mothers need to be a role model to their children. According to Sadat, mothers need to educate their children and not differentiate between the boys and girls in the family, she said.

"Regardless of who we are or our religion we want to improve life for the next generation," she said.

Sadat started this by attending college at age 40 to obtain her bachelors degree. In fact, she went to school with some of her children.

"We were very competitive. They had nothing to do but study. I was also a mother and had to clean and take care of things. But in the end, I was better than them," she said.

She later received her masters and doctorate degree, stressing that she had to be the role model to other women.

Sadat ended the speech by saying, "Let there be peace on Earth and let it begin with you and me."