Bilal

Bilal and I are out grocery shopping in Morrisons. Bilal stops at a shelf and adds something to our trolley...

Me: Billy. Have you read the ingredients?

Bilal: Yes Baji!

Me: Is it suitable for vegetarians?

Bilal: Err...

So I read the packet, approve it and move onto the next aisle. A little while later...

Bilal; Baji, what did you say it has to be suitable for???

Me: Vegetarians

Bilal.: Right, yea. Are we vegetarians now?

Me: Well we kind of are when we shopping in stores that aren’t really catering for the halal market.

A little while later...

Bilal: So we’re vegetarian then?

Me: For now yes.

Bilal: *Looks at me with utter confusion*

Me: What Billy?

Bilal: *with an innocent face*... So does that mean we’re not muslim anymore. Just vegetarian?

I look at him and I just can’t help it. Laughter escapes my lips and I have tears in my eyes!

Bilal: Baji, stop laughing! It’s not funny! People will look at us!

Me: I’m sorry! So sorry!

Once I’ve suitably calmed down a little, I explain how being muslim is a religion and being vegetarian is a dietary choice. ‘Oh’, he says. ‘Well you didn’t have to laugh at me you know’ he says in a bit of a huff.

In my defence I wasn’t laughing at him but I was just so touched by his innocence, so sweeeeet!!! I love my little brother, he can be so incredibly cute (mA).