LA JOLLA, Calif. -- Local Muslims are taking action days before a Florida pastor plans to burn Quarans on the anniversary of Sept. 11.

Like many Muslims, Akram Hassanien reads from the Quran daily. When he first learned of Pastor Terry Jones' plans to burn Qurans on the the Sept. 11 anniversary, Hassanien said, "You feel like someone is bearing some kind of hate toward you."

Pastor Jones said he wasn't burning the Quran because of hate, but to create a warning to radical Islam.

Despite the worries of U.S. leaders, who fear the action could incite violence, Jones continues to maintain he will not back down.

In response, Hassanien has moved forward with his own plans. Hassanien and a group of friends invited neighbors at his La Jolla apartment complex to a dinner. He and his seven friends shared the costs of the $1,600 dinner, where 70 people showed up and 20 Qurans were handed out.

Hassanian told 10News, "This is opening the door for us to reach out to our community and try to get out the right message and right picture of Islam, not the violent one."

Hassanien said he and his friends plan to hand out hundreds of Qurans in the next year, and they are not the only ones.

"The Quran is a message of peace [and] a message of the betterment of mankind," said Edgar Hopida, who heads the local chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR.

Recently, CAIR created a PSA to combat Islamaphobia.

The group has also seen a spike in interest and donations for their "Share the Quran" program, which offers free copies of the book.

Hopida hopes he will have enough to hand out to every community leader and San Diegan who wants one.

"Our whole view is to educate and build bridges rather than to be divisive," he said.

In Gainesville, Fla., several other events are planned for Saturday night, including reading from the Quran.

Meanwhile, Pastor Jones has not said how many Qurans he plans to burn, but says supporters keep sending him copies in the mail.