He placed down two styrofoam cups of tea, sat down on the plastic seat and pulled the little table towards him. He looked up at a sliver of window, where the wall met the ceiling. Although reinforced with criss-crossing steel wire it was still slightly cracked. The rest of the prison’s meeting room was barren, a dreary off-green. He looked around and could see inmates and their visitors sat at tables, a few shedding tears, some holding hands, and others swapping deserted silence, missing each other with remote stares. Every time the door swung open he looked up, expectantly, until finally Shams came through. Shams looked healthy, well-fed and with a relaxed face. Shams extended his hand to Marwane.
‘Assalmu alaikum, bro, really good to see you.’
Marwane took his hand then stood, pulling Shams into an embrace. ‘Akhi, you look good. How’s it going, in here?’
‘Alhamdulillah, it’s all good. I’m getting by. What you up to?’
Marwane and Shams sat, looking at each other across the wobbling table. ‘I’m working now. I’ve got a job in the city. Pretty rough hours but it’s a start. So, seriously, how is everything?’
Shams took his styrofoam cup of tea and rolled it between the palms of his hands, taking in its dulled warmth . ‘It was difficult at first, but the Muslim bros in here look after me. They own this place.’
Marwane didn’t bother hiding his worry. ‘What type of guys are we talking about?’
‘Listen bro, I’m in with a good crowd, who don’t want no trouble. I know better now. I’ll admit they are a mixed lot, but you do need to be part of a group in here to survive.’ Seeing his concern, Shams tried to placate Marwane. ‘I know what I’m doing, I won’t get into anything dodgy.’
‘No, Shams. You listen here, you keep your head down and don’t mix with anyone. Keep your nose clean.’
Shams looked down at the table while Marwane spoke. He started to tap his teeth with nervous energy. ‘I don’t discuss politics or anything. I’m really getting on. If people talk foolishness I just nod my head.’
‘Ok, Shams, I hope so. You are looking settled. I’ll give you that.’
‘Alhamdulillah, it’s all so clear in here, Marwane. My mind is at rest.’ Shams took in a deep breath while making a vague indication to the world outside. ‘Here it’s straightforward. I like that. I read, do my prayers, do the bits of work they give us, read, have my meals, exercise, and that’s it. Just count the days down. How is everyone? How’s Ishaq’s family?’
‘Not good Shams. Not good.’ Marwane looked downwards; he tried to lift his gaze but found it too heavy and returned to looking down. His eyes started tearing. He felt his throat constrict. He still found it hard to hear that name. He tried to still his upper lip and pushed and rubbed at his eyes, trying to force the tears back in. As he wiped he felt some of the bitter taste. ‘They are going through a rough time, bruv. His dad is toughing it out, going to work. His mum doesn’t go out anymore…but Ayub is helping out a lot. I don’t know if you heard but he married Ishaq’s sister.’
Marwane looked for some sense, some recognition but Shams looked blank and calm. No emotion, no tears. ‘Yea, I heard. It seems an obvious match now, may Allah make it easy on them,’ said Shams.
‘Yea, may Allah make it easy on us all, Shams. They got close helping out with the justice campaign. A lot of organisations are really active on all this now. I’ve actually joined in and I’m doing bits, as well.’
Shams managed a smile. ‘Yea, I heard that too. It’s pretty funny, you becoming active like that…’
‘Well, you know…like he said, we were born into it. Can’t stick our head in the sand.’
Shams nodded. ‘I still haven’t talked to Ishaq’s family. I can’t do it…’
Marwane placed his hand on Shams’ arm, wanting to comfort him but at the same time wanting to squeeze him hard until it hurt. ‘…Don’t worry about it, man, look after yourself. One day you’ll be ready, inshallah…and maybe one day they’ll be ready.’
‘It wasn’t my fault. It was all an accident.’
Marwane watched Shams’ Adam’s apple bob up and down as he swallowed. He thought, How do you tell those born blind what it is to see? Marwane swallowed his tears while Shams swallowed sin.
‘Do you think they’ll get the guy who did it?’ said Shams.
‘The copper’s mates arrived after, and they all got together and agreed on what happened. That’s the way it goes. Anyway, he said he shouted.’
‘I swear he didn’t. I would’ve heard…but the inquiry?’
‘Headed by a bunch of people who went to school with each other. A lot happened that day but it’s like it never happened.’
They sat there in silence for a while. Marwane made a circle in the dust on the table, watching his finger go round and round without end, creating a clean space on the dirty surface. Marwane struggled with what to say. ‘Does your sister come?’
‘Yea, but I’ve told her to stop. She starts crying, making a scene. I can’t handle it. My lawyer goes to visit, to guide her through all the appeal’s stuff, but I’m not bothered about that. Not sure she is either, really. Like I say, my head is clear in here. I’d like it to stay that way for a while.’
‘Allahu Akbar.’ (God is Great)
‘Ash hadu an-la ilaha ill allah.’ (There is no god but Allah)
Coming from behind Shams Marwane was surprised he could hear the adhan being called. A couple of visitors looked in the direction of the sound and muttered something, shaking their heads.
‘Haya ala-salah.’ (Hasten to Prayer)
Marwane noted the voice, resolute and resonating. The free voice consoled him like a soothing balm. He wondered whom the caller was and what he had done to be caged here. He knew that, like him, the call transported him elsewhere, outside of this earthly confine.
‘Haya ala-salah.’ (Hasten to Prayer)
Shams noted Marwane’s surprise. ‘Yea, the block where the prayer room is is next door. It really annoys the rest of the prisoners and a lot of the screws but, like I said, we’re the biggest group in here. Got to be nearing half Muslim. They’ll do anything to avoid bad publicity and a riot or something…’
‘Haya ala-falah.’ (Hasten to Success)
‘Anyway, I better go.’ Shams got up from his chair, leaned over and gave Marwane a hug. He took a step towards the exit. Halting, he turned to face Marwane. With a wan smile he said,’You’ll come back to visit me, right?’
Marwane got up. ‘Of course, bro, I ain’t going nowhere. I’ll be here. Take care, yea. Be good.’
‘Haya ala-falah.’ (Hasten to Success)
Shams nodded and gave his friend salaams. Marwane watched Shams turn around and be escorted back through the door. The call went on. As a hundred generations had heard it, before, so Marwane listened, attending to it as if it were new and as if he alone were being summoned. This plangent link to their past. A clarion call to the eternal. He felt a weight at the pit of his soul, a sore that would never heal, yet still his heart was made lighter by the sonorous sound of the promise, the call of awareness, the call to good.