Up until a few hours ago, Pastor Terry Jones planned on burning the holy book of Koran this coming Saturday to mark the anniversary of 9/11. Now those plans have been "suspended" as an apparent deal was made between Jones and Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, who is behind the building of the ground zero masque, in which Jones has agreed to halt his burning in exchange for the Imam moving the building elsewhere. Rauf denies the agreement, but most certainly there will be more to come, when Jones arrives in New York to pursue his deal on Saturday. Jones noted, “The American people do not want the mosque there. And of course Muslims do not want us to burn the Koran. The Imam has agreed to move the mosque. We have agreed to cancel our event on Saturday.” In response to his remarks, the Imam has replied that, “there is no deal to move the mosque and community center -- and that there was no agreement on a meeting."

Yet, burning or not burning, the past few days have prompted the entire nation to reach an incredibly rare point in which everyone is now focusing on the importance and values of Islam, respecting a religion that for the longest time was correlated with terrorism, Taliban, and the stoning of women. For the first time, there is some light shining on to the non-terrorist side of Islam and what Muslims are truly about.

Yet, despite the media hype, the headlines and the outrage that Mr. Jones’ potential act has caused, no one has paid close attention to the sudden light that now illuminates the true meanings of the Koran, Islam, and the respect and sympathy that is being given to Islam and the Muslims all over the world. The issue is quite significant since the Western world and, in particular, the American public are usually filled with stereotypes, tabooed misunderstanding and ignorance towards Islam, Muslims, and to the fact that in many cases this religion is only presented through the lens of terrorism.

The holy book of millions upon millions of Muslims around the world was almost subjected to being burned and terrorized itself. The religious doctrine it expounds is similar to the Bible and the Torah; it contains the words of God. Outrage and condemnation has risen in many parts of the world. From U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and the highest NATO and U.S. military official, Commander David Petraeus in Afghanistan, to others like Angelina Jolie, many prominent public figures have made statements condemning Jones’ proposed act as “outrageous,” “disgraceful,” and something that does not represent the American belief towards Islam and the Muslims.

For several years, many Muslim nations were and are still regarded as barbaric, uncivil, and perceiving the U.S. to be the “devil,” burning its flag with pride and joy. Although true in most cases, the reality is that the roots of such acts are the radical repressive governments who have continuously allowed such wrong portrayals of Islam to flourish. The image of Islam and Muslims was shattered somewhere between the harsh images shown in American and British broadcast news of radical fanatics burning the U.S flag in Iran or Palestine, or the Taliban burning puppets of the U.S. president in their riots and uprisings.

Yet now, someone from this end of the world, the cradle of modernity and peace, is supporting exactly those acts that created a longlasting, barbaric illusion of the Muslims of the Middle East. 
There is one big difference: Mr. Jones’ ridiculous proposed act created a desire and demand for the world to re-examine Islam and for Western citizens to re-evaluate their own judgments and misunderstandings of this stereotyped religion that has for many years been associated with Taliban, nuclear weapons, Ahmadinejad, Hamas, and Al-Qaida.

Muslims in U.S and abroad should perhaps be thankful to what Jones’ propaganda will help create. Within the past few days, several Muslim organization are on the rise to better educate and develop programs that would teach the lessons of the Koran, the values and richness that rests beneath the words of Allah, and all that has been misunderstood or never taught in the United States. Among these organizations, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has created a “Learn, Don't Burn” initiative in response to Jones’ poropsed act, where they will distribute 200,000 Korans to replace the 200 copies that the Florida church planned to burn.

The education and knowledge that is available to average American society -- both the older and younger generations -- is limited to images and events that in no way define the true traditions of Islam. For a very long time, Western societies were bombarded with images of Saddam Hossein, 9/11, Saudi woman hiding beneath their veils, Ahmadinejad, denial of the Holocaust, and last but not least the Times Magazine cover that so brilliantly articulates the brutalities of the Taliban through the image of the bruised face and cut off nose of Aisha in Afghanistan. Perhaps an event such as Jones' might be a positive note in bringing out the truth of Islam and what truly hides beneath the words of Allah.

This incident could be an opportunity for an open-minded re-evaluation of Islam; especially as many Americans do not support of Islam and are not receptive to the holy book of Koran. "The best way to respond to Koran burnings is Koran readings, recitations, teaching, learning, sharing, living the best of the principles found therein," said Zaheer Ali, a New York Muslim leader and doctoral student at Columbia University.

Jones’s radical mentality about Islam and the burning of the Koran allows for more light to be shed on what truly constitutes Islam and the holy words of Allah. Now, all of a sudden, America is defending the Koran and is open to hearing the virtues that were forgotten under the veils and terror of the Taliban and Hezbollah. This is a historic moment that most likely would have not happened if it wasn’t because of Mr. Jones’s proposed terrorist-like act.

So, Mr. Jones, thank you for opening the eyes of the world to understanding and the need to learn more about this falsely portrayed religion. Thank you for creating a receptive audience that is now curious to learn the deeper values and messages of Islam, that for decades have been shattered through terrorism, Al Qaeda, Hamas, and other fanatic terrorists who were, up to this day, the sole representatives of one of the most sacred religions in history in the eyes of the West. Thank you for creating a sense of urgency for the general American public and the rest of the Western world to see Islam from a non-terrorist angle. Thank you for pointing out that nowhere in an Islamic text is it inscribed that women should be oppressed or that women should be banned from driving or working. Thank you for shedding light on the radicals who are now quite clearly distinguished from the Muslim belief in the virtues, righteousness, and beauty of God.

Today, when a person living in the States or beyond wants to condemn Jones, they either have to know Islam or be somewhat open to at least learning about its virtues and what constitutes this holy religion. People are now obliged to learn about this religion that was once viewed more as vice, and start looking at it from a non-terrorist perspective. And perhaps, just to disagree with Jones, begin to even like this tabooed religion. Whatever the case many be, the outcome will help bring out the true light of Islam.

Reach Columnist Tara Kangarlou here.