Invisible Blood

[I wrote this piece in light of the tragic Paris attacks.I condemn terrorism and pray for those who lost their lives to it and also for their near and dear ones. I also condemn generalizing communities based on a few individuals. I pray for those who face unnecessary judgement for their beliefs.]

What would you say if they asked you why?
Why do people treat them differently?
Is it their headscarves or their names?

Their hands are stained with invisible blood.
Blood from murders they did not commit.
They can't see it no matter how hard they try. 
Then why do others see it?

You would recall numbers that the media used to sum up casualties.
Those numbers always fell short of the real number of victims.
There are more victims, they've  stayed hidden from headlines.
They may not have lost their lives, their limbs or their blood.
But they've lost the respect they deserve.
You'll recognize them by the invisible blood stains on their hands.

And then what if they asked you why millions should atone for the sins of a few?
What would you say? 
Why has unjustified hatred become a popular means to execute justice?

So tell them that you said prayers for those who had their last breath at the end of the barrel of a gun,
for those whose heartbeats synchronized to and were silenced by the ticking of a bomb
and for them too, the ones whose hands are stained with invisible blood.
And so may we wash away the invisible blood off the hands of the innocent.
Divine judgement is reserved only for the guilty.