Prompt 3: Call to the Faithless
Title: Call to the Faithless
Author: arwen_kenobi
Rating: G
'Verse: BBC Sherlock
Word Count: 519
Summary: John's dog tags say C of E on them but he is far from a religious man.
Author's Note: For Prompt 3 of watsons_woes July writing prompts. This one was "Sacred Spaces: Incorporate the religion or philosophy of your choice, in whatever manner you choose"
Sometimes John would wake up along with the Azan when he was in Afghanistan. Sometimes, if he was so unfortunate, he'd be awake and on patrol well before it. Even though he hated being up before daybreak hearing that muffled beckoning more than made up for it. There isn't much about his tours in the Middle East that he can honestly say were memorable in a 'brought joy to my life' sort of way but hearing the call to prayer was up there. John's dog tags say C of E on them but he is far from a religious man. He also believes that even for a faithful Christian, or any other non-Muslim person, the Azan is moving and deeply spiritual. Not hearing it throughout the day once he got back to England was one of many things that had taken some time to adjust to.
John doesn't know why Sherlock took a case in Afghanistan. He stops that thought; he knows exactly why. Afghanistan is the one part of John's life that he has had no access to. He's met a few of John's casual acquaintances from his tours but that and some photographs and his war record are all Sherlock has. The researcher in him cannot be satisfied with just these second hand facts. They very well could have solved this case from England.
Truth be told though, John thinks as lets himself up onto the roof of the flat block they're staying at, he has missed this. It's not quite dawn yet, John has no problem being awake this early so long as it's on his own accord on a certain amount of sleep.
It's been years since he's been here and years since he's heard the Azan five times every single day but he has timed it just right. It's dark but dawn is imminent when he hears the door open and then shut again. Softly though. As if someone is carefully making as little noise as possible. "A moment, please."
Sherlock doesn't answer him. He walks up beside him and sets himself beside John on the ledge. He doesn't have the look of a scientist ready to observe a reaction so he doesn't send him away.
The muezzin begins. John shuts his eyes and tries to follow along with the words. His Arabic is patchy but he knows what this means.
Sherlock is silent beside him and when John cracks an eye open he finds Sherlock's eyes are shut and his head is bowed. John doesn't even attempt to guess what he's thinking or even praying for. John knows Sherlock believes in nothing but science but he has seen Sherlock's resolve shaken, has seen him moved, and has seen him pray. Sherlock has prayed for him before. John has done the same. There's are core to him, to Sherlock as well somewhere deep down, that responds positively to the idea that there is more to what science and the senses can tangibly prove.
He shuts his eye again, bows his head, and heeds the call to prayer with his heart if not his feet.
Author's Notes: I am not Muslim so I apologise for anything that my Google-fu happened to miss. If you have never heard the call to prayer before there are several audio clips on YouTube. This is one of them. I dare you to not be moved.
Author: arwen_kenobi
Rating: G
'Verse: BBC Sherlock
Word Count: 519
Summary: John's dog tags say C of E on them but he is far from a religious man.
Author's Note: For Prompt 3 of watsons_woes July writing prompts. This one was "Sacred Spaces: Incorporate the religion or philosophy of your choice, in whatever manner you choose"
Sometimes John would wake up along with the Azan when he was in Afghanistan. Sometimes, if he was so unfortunate, he'd be awake and on patrol well before it. Even though he hated being up before daybreak hearing that muffled beckoning more than made up for it. There isn't much about his tours in the Middle East that he can honestly say were memorable in a 'brought joy to my life' sort of way but hearing the call to prayer was up there. John's dog tags say C of E on them but he is far from a religious man. He also believes that even for a faithful Christian, or any other non-Muslim person, the Azan is moving and deeply spiritual. Not hearing it throughout the day once he got back to England was one of many things that had taken some time to adjust to.
John doesn't know why Sherlock took a case in Afghanistan. He stops that thought; he knows exactly why. Afghanistan is the one part of John's life that he has had no access to. He's met a few of John's casual acquaintances from his tours but that and some photographs and his war record are all Sherlock has. The researcher in him cannot be satisfied with just these second hand facts. They very well could have solved this case from England.
Truth be told though, John thinks as lets himself up onto the roof of the flat block they're staying at, he has missed this. It's not quite dawn yet, John has no problem being awake this early so long as it's on his own accord on a certain amount of sleep.
It's been years since he's been here and years since he's heard the Azan five times every single day but he has timed it just right. It's dark but dawn is imminent when he hears the door open and then shut again. Softly though. As if someone is carefully making as little noise as possible. "A moment, please."
Sherlock doesn't answer him. He walks up beside him and sets himself beside John on the ledge. He doesn't have the look of a scientist ready to observe a reaction so he doesn't send him away.
The muezzin begins. John shuts his eyes and tries to follow along with the words. His Arabic is patchy but he knows what this means.
Sherlock is silent beside him and when John cracks an eye open he finds Sherlock's eyes are shut and his head is bowed. John doesn't even attempt to guess what he's thinking or even praying for. John knows Sherlock believes in nothing but science but he has seen Sherlock's resolve shaken, has seen him moved, and has seen him pray. Sherlock has prayed for him before. John has done the same. There's are core to him, to Sherlock as well somewhere deep down, that responds positively to the idea that there is more to what science and the senses can tangibly prove.
He shuts his eye again, bows his head, and heeds the call to prayer with his heart if not his feet.
Author's Notes: I am not Muslim so I apologise for anything that my Google-fu happened to miss. If you have never heard the call to prayer before there are several audio clips on YouTube. This is one of them. I dare you to not be moved.