Al Salam Mosque paid $1,700 to keep this man out of jail after he vandalized their building with Nazi symbols and profanities.

“We actually are celebrating what we call the golden rule. And the golden rule is present in every religion no matter what,” explained the mosque’s president, Dr. Louay Nassri. “Of course, in Islam is says that your faith is not complete ‘til you want for your brother what [you] want for yourself.”

Abraham Davis vandalized the mosque with 2 friends in 2016, but he wrote a letter from jail apologizing to the congregants, stating, “I hurt y’all and I am haunted by it. And ever after all this you still forgave me. You are much better people than I.”

In light of the sincere letter, the mosque embarked on efforts to help Davis. First, it tried to have his felony charge reduced to a misdemeanor, but he still ended up with a felony and a fine for roughly $3,200. If he didn’t pay the fine, he could have ended up in prison for 6 years. He struggled to make his payments after his mother was diagnosed with Leukemia, so the mosque paid off the remaining $1,700 of his debt.

Davis was left very grateful for the community’s act, stating to the New York Times, “It’s a great weight being lifted off of my shoulders. And I don’t deserve it, but the act of kindness, it’s just, wow.”