Why worship the Hebrew God? Why can’t we worship the Muslim God?

Why don’t we stop worshiping Ha Shem (י ה ו ה ), and instead start worshiping Allah? Well, the reason for it is very simple: according to Deuteronomy 10: 20, the Hebrews were commanded to worship no deity other than the One whose name is י ה ו ה (“Ha Shem”, or " Adonai Yah" ); whereas Muslims were ordered to worship a God named “Allah” (" THAT WE WORSHIP NONE BUT ALLAH; that we associate no partners with him; THAT WE ERECT NOT, FROM AMONG OURSELVES, LORDS AND PATRONS OTHER THAN ALLAH" - Holy Qur'an, Surah 3: 64).
And although Allah and Ha Shem are technically the same Deity (the only true God, the God of Avraham), the Hebrew perspective of Ha Shem is slightly different, as Ha Shem is perceived by the Hebrews as being morally superior to Allah. And, as we will later explain, their view is correct. For example, according to Leviticus 18: 15, Ha Shem doesn't allow any Hebrew believer to marry the wife of his own son; While Allah allowed it to prophet Muhammad (pbuh), who married Zaynab bint Jahsh, the wife of his son Zayd ibn Harithah (Qur'an, Surah 33: 37).
On the one hand, Ha Shem ordered the Hebrew believers not to touch any captive woman before first giving her at least 30 days to mourn her deceased parents (Deuteronomy 21: 10-13);
While, on the other hand, Allah permits prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to have sexual intercourse with a captive woman named Safiyya bint Huyayy, less than a week after he slew [in war] her parents: " Narrated by Anas bin Malik- The Prophet came to Khaibar and when Allah made him victorious and he conquered the town by breaking the enemy's defense, the beauty of Safiyya bint Huyai bin Akhtab was mentioned to him, and [that] her husband had been killed while she was a bride. ALLAH'S APOSTLE SELECTED HER FOR HIMSELF, AND HE SET OUT IN HER COMPANY TILL HE REACHED SADD-AR-RAWHA' WHERE HER MENSES WERE OVER, AND HE MARRIED HER- Bukhari, volume 3 #437".
Again, note that a young woman's menses regularly last for no more than seven days, and as Safiyya was already experiencing her menses, it means she was forced to have sexual intercourse less than a week after Muhammad's army had slain her parents.
In fact, one of Muhammad's soldiers (Abbu Ayyub) feared Safiyya's retaliation, and therefore stood guard all night long outside Muhammad's wedding tent- [On the night of her marriage to Muhammad, the faithful Abu Ayyub stood guard outside the tent of Muhammad, and when Muhammad saw him and inquired why Abu Ayyub did so, the latter replied: " I WAS AFRAID FOR YOU WITH THIS WOMAN FOR YOU HAVE [RECENTLY] KILLED HER FATHER, HER HUSBAND, AND HER PEOPLE, and till recently she was in unbelief, so I was afraid for you on her account" (Ibn Ishaq, pp. 241-42)].
On the one hand, and through the voice of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), Allah forces Muslim believers to engage in military battles (" WAR IS ORDAINED BY ALLAH, and all Muslims must be willing to fight, WHETHER THEY LIKE IT OR NOT" - Qur'an 2: 216); While, on the other hand, Ha Shem has ordered the Hebrew people (Deuteronomy 20: 5-8) that no believer can be forced to engage in any military war, when such believer is afraid of battle; when he is engaged to a woman [but has not yet married her]; when he has not enjoyed his recently built house; or when he hasn’t enjoyed a recently planted vineyard.
On the one hand, although prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was an illiterate person, Allah's will was for the Hebrew believers to submit themselves to him (thereby accepting Muhammad as their ruler and king). But, on the other hand, Ha Shem's will for the Jews, was that they reject any illiterate ruler (or king); as their supreme leader should be capable of writing his own Torah scroll. As it is written: " Now it shall come about when he (the king) sits on the throne of his kingdom, HE SHALL WRITE FOR HIMSELF A COPY OF THIS LAW on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests" - Deuteronomy 17: 18)
On the one hand [and just like a stern master], the Allah of the holy Qur'an doesn't like that His followers ask too many questions (" O YE WHO BELIEVE! ASK NOT QUESTIONS ABOUT THINGS WHICH IF MADE PLAIN TO YOU, MAY CAUSE YOU TROUBLE. Some people before you did ask such questions, and on that account lost their faith" - Surah 5: 101-102). But, on the other hand [and just like a loving Father], the God of the Torah has no problem letting His children ask the hard questions, and even to confront Him.
As it is written: " FAR BE IT FROM YOU TO DO SUCH A THING— to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as do the wicked! Far be it from You! SHALL NOT THE JUDGE OF ALL THE EARTH EXECUTE JUDGMENT AND DO RIGHTEOUSLY? " -Genesis 18: 25. And elsewhere-" And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. AND GIDEON SAID UNTO HIM, OH MY LORD, IF THE LORD BE WITH US, WHY THEN IS ALL THIS BEFALLEN US? AND WHERE BE ALL HIS MIRACLES WHICH OUR FATHERS TOLD US OF, SAYING, DID NOT THE LORD BRING US UP FROM EGYPT? But now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites" - Judges 6: 12-13.
On the one hand, Allah wanted the Hebrew people to accept Muhammad's (pbuh) prophetic claim [a claim that is based on Muhammad's sole testimony]. But, on the other hand, Ha Shem wanted the Hebrew people to be truthful, righteous, and humble; to avoid any conflict of interests, as well as any kind of falsehood.
In other words, Ha Shem doesn't allow the Hebrews to bear witness of their own merits (" LET SOMEONE ELSE PRAISE YOU; COMPLIMENTS ARE ALWAYS SWEETER FROM A STRANGER’S LIPS THAN FROM YOUR OWN" - Proverbs 27: 2, The Voice Bible version); He doesn't allow the Hebrews to accept any questionable claim, nor to accept [as an established fact] anything that can't be confirmed by two [or more] impartial [and independent] witnesses (" One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: AT THE MOUTH OF TWO WITNESSES, OR AT THE MOUTH OF THREE WITNESSES, SHALL THE MATTER BE ESTABLISHED" - Deuteronomy 19: 15).
For example, if someone claimed that an angel had spoken to him [while alone, inside a dark cave], and that such angel had informed him that he was God's chosen one [and therefore the Jews had to submit to his guidance], the Hebrew believer couldn't accept such claim, as in the absence of two or more independent witness, there could be a real chance that the [alleged] fact isn't accurate, or even truthful [for example, the whole thing could had just been an hallucination].
And, the latter, could have indeed been the case with prophet Muhammad's (pbuh) prophetic call, as the Hadith mentions that his wives noticed that he would often claim to have had intimacy with them, while none of it had really happened. Curiously [and maybe in order to relieve the prophet from any fault], the former delusion was later explained as being the result of a magic spell cast upon him by a Jewish magician. But this latter explanation only serves to raise more shadows upon the prophet's claim, as the Torah bears no record of any righteous man [nor of any real prophet] ever falling under the spell of any magician.
In fact, the Torah states that, the only magician who dared trying to cast a spell upon the Hebrew believers (Balaam), ended up dying at theirs hands (just as prophet Muhammad ended up dying at the hand of the Hebrew widow who poisoned his food). As it is written: " Along with these leaders, THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL ALSO KILLED BALAAM, SON OF BEOR, WHO USED BLACK MAGIC [AGAINST ISRAEL]" - Joshua 13: 22, God's Word Translation.
Not only that; but, the very same magician, recognized that those who serve the true God of Israel are immune to curses and magic spells. As it is written: " NO SPELL CAN CURSE THE DESCENDANTS OF JACOB. NO MAGIC CAN HARM THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL" - Numbers 23: 23, God's Word Translation.
On the one hand, Allah wants the Muslim nation to exalt itself, by conquering every other land, so that all nonbelievers will eventually be forced to submit to Islam (or, as a default, pay a tax for their unbelief): " Allah's Apostle said- I HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO FIGHT THE PEOPLE TILL THEY SAY: NONE HAS THE RIGHT TO BE WORSHIPPED BUT ALLAH" - Bukhari (8: 387); " I WILL CAST TERROR INTO THE HEARTS OF THOSE WHO DISBELIEVE. THEREFORE, STRIKE OFF THEIR HEADS and strike off every fingertip of them" - Quran (8: 12);
" SOON SHALL WE CAST TERROR INTO THE HEARTS OF THE UNBELIEVERS, for that they joined companions with Allah, for which He had sent no authority" - Quran, Surah 3: 151; " FIGHT AGAINST THOSE WHO BELIEVE NOT IN ALLAH, nor in the Last Day, nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah AND HIS MESSENGER AND THOSE WHO ACKNOWLEDGE NOT THE RELIGION OF TRUTH (I. E. ISLAM) among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), UNTIL THEY PAY THE JIZYAH (TAX) with willing submission, AND FEEL THEMSELVES SUBDUED" - Holy Qur'an, Surah 9: 29;
And elsewhere: " FIGHT AND SLAY THE PAGANS WHEREVER YE FIND THEM and seize them, confine them, and lie in wait for them in every place of ambush" (Surah 9: 5). But, on the other hand, Ha Shem wants the Hebrew nation to be just and truthful, avoiding any self aggrandizing delusion [“JUSTICE, AND ONLY JUSTICE, YOU SHALL FOLLOW…”- Deut. 16: 20 (English Standard Version); “These are the things you should do: SPEAK THE TRUTH TO EACH OTHER; MAKE TRUTHFUL, JUST, AND PEACEABLE DECISIONS within your gates”- Zechariah 8: 16 (Common English Bible); “FOR THE MOUTHS OF LIARS WILL BE SHUT”- Psalm 63: 11 (Christian standard Bible)].
Ha Shem wanted the Hebrew people to avoid the self aggrandizement that comes as a result of trying to impose themselves upon other nations; rather, He wanted the Hebrews to treat non believing nations in a respectful and brotherly fashion. Why? Because, by following that humble behavior [in other words, by not doing against the gentiles that which they would hate, if it were done against Israel], God wanted to make of the Hebrew believers a moral example of the lifestyle that pleases the Creator.
And, this ordained respect for the land, the property, and the religious identity of our " unbelieving" brothers, explains why God forbade the Hebrews from battling against the Edomites, the Moabites, and the Ammonites [among many other pagan nations]. As it is written: " You are about to travel through the territory of YOUR BROTHERS, THE DESCENDANTS OF ESAU, who live in Seir.
They will be afraid of you, so be very careful. DON'T PROVOKE THEM, FOR I WILL NOT GIVE YOU ANY OF THEIR LAND, not even a foot of it, because I have given Esau the hill country of Seir as his possession" - Deuteronomy 2: 4-5, Christian Standard Bible. And also: " The Lord said to me, ‘SHOW NO HOSTILITY TOWARD MOAB, AND DO NOT PROVOKE THEM TO BATTLE, FOR I WILL NOT GIVE YOU ANY OF THEIR LAND AS A POSSESSION, since I have given Ar as a possession to the descendants of Lot" - Deuteronomy 2: 9, Christian Standard Bible.
And elsewhere: " Today you are going to cross the border of Moab at Ar. WHEN YOU GET CLOSE TO THE AMMONITES, DON'T SHOW ANY HOSTILITY TO THEM, OR PROVOKE THEM, FOR I WILL NOT GIVE YOU ANY OF THE AMMONITES LAND AS A POSSESSION; I have given it as a possession to the descendants of Lot" - Deuteronomy 2: 18, Christian Standard Bible.
What's the meaning of what we have said up to this point? Does it means that Islam is a false religion? Does it means that Muslims are lost; that they follow a false prophet, or that they are heading to hell? Absolutely not!! In fact, Islam is a perfectly valid way to serve the God of Avraham. If Islam seems so different from the ancient Hebrew religion, it isn't because Muslims worship a different God; it's because they see Him through a different lense.
How can this be? Very simple!... The Torah teaches that the Creator is sort of like " a Mirror" - the Mirror itself never changes; but, if two men look into it, each one will see something different, as each of them will see a reflection of his own image.
In other words, if a warrior looks into the mirror, he will see " a warrior God" (a " God of Host", so to speak" ); if a peace maker looks into it, he will see a " God of Peace"; If a loving father looks into it, he'll see a God who is " Our Father, who is in Heaven"; If a merciful man looks into it, He will see a merciful God; but if a stern man looks into it, he will see a stern God.
As it is written: " WITH THE MERCIFUL, THOU WILT SHEW THYSELF MERCIFUL; WITH AN UPRIGHT MAN, THOU WILT SHEW THYSELF UPRIGHT; WITH THE PURE, THOU WILT SHEW THYSELF PURE; AND WITH THE FROWARD, THOU WILT SHEW THYSELF FROWARD" - Psalm 18: 25-26, King James Bible.
And the former could easily explain the reason that, while talking to Moses, God describes himself as follows: " I AM the God of thy father, THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB... " - Exodus 3: 6, King James Bible.
Why did God has to say " the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob"? Why couldn't he just say, " THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB"? Again, because each patriarch perceived God in a different fashion, just as if they were serving three different Gods! But the truth is that, although each of them had a different view of the Creator, they all served the same God; and, although different, each view was correct, as it corresponded with their individual personalities.
In light of this understanding, we can properly say that the Arabs [a race of desert warriors, and conquering people] were right, when they perceived the Creator as a conquering God. Likewise, we can say that the Jews [which are an ancient race of scholars and philosophers] were right, when they perceived the Creator as an abstract [and morally perfect] being. Finally, the Greeks [a race entirely devoted to man's physical and mental perfection] were correct, when they perceived the Creator as the perfect man [incarnated in the person of Jesus].
In other words, each monotheistic religion, is a correct reflection of the nature of it's followers. And, as we had said before, Ha Shem wants His people to respect those who perceive Him differently, and therefore it isn't surprising that the Hebrew faith doesn't claim to be the only right path to God, but rather concedes that all righteous Christians and Muslims will also have a share in the good world that will soon arrive (the " Olam ha-ba" ).
May it be God's will that we all share the light of this understanding, so that everlasting peace can finally reign among Avraham's spiritual children! Amen.