Does the word "מَحֲמַדִּים" in Song of Songs 5:16 refer to the Prophet Muhammad, knowing that it might be a combination of two Hebrew words "מה" (ma) and "אמד" (amad), and that the book was written before the birth of the Prophet Muhammad?
The Hebrew text "ḥikko mamtaqqim vekhullo maḥamadim zeh dodi vezeh re‘i, benot Yerushalayim" from the Song of Songs does not refer to the name "Muhammad". The various Old Testament translations of the word "maḥamadim" mean "desirable" or "lovely," and Hebrew language experts confirm that the word is not a proper noun but signifies beauty and desirability, and it has appeared in other contexts with this meaning. The context in the Song of Songs is about courtship and does not allow for the insertion of a proper noun. The glad tidings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in previous scriptures are established by the text of the Holy Qur'an, but this does not necessitate interpreting words in a way that contradicts their linguistic meanings or context.
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Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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