How Early is the Muhammadim Argument?

Anyone who has been following this website knows about my favorite argument that Muslims use in favor or Muhammad.  I’m of course talking about Song of Solomon 5:16.  This is the argument that states that there is a possible phonetic parallel between a Hebrew word and with Muhammad’s name.  The context of Song of Solomon has absolutely nothing to do with this but let’s look beyond that for a moment.

What is the earliest reference that we have to Muslims using this argument?  Well known apologists such as Ahmad Deedat and Shabir Ally have used it.  However, how long has this been used?

When Jesus Christ came, He pointed to several prophecies about Himself.  While He was on the cross, He pointed to Psalm 22.  In the book of Acts, when St. Peter was preaching to the Jews he points out Deuteronomy 18 which every pious Jew would have been familiar with.

We also have Isaiah 53, the greatest prophecy ever fulfilled being read by the Ethiopian Eunuch in the book of Acts.  This passage is also pointed out by one of the earliest Church Fathers, St. Clement of Rome in his epistle to the Corinthians which was written in about 100 AD.  It can also be seen in many other early church writings.

When one reads the writings of St. Justin Martyr such as the First Apology and his Dialogue with Trypho, he points out similar things.  He even quotes Malachi 1 when he talks about the Eucharist in chapter 41 of his Dialogue with Trypho.  These writings are from the middle of the second century.  We could give other examples with other second century writers such as St. Irenaeus of Lyons and others, but this should suffice for now.

In other words, those who were around Christ at the time of the events of His life and shortly afterwards recognized these prophecies as being fulfilled.  They knew the Scripture and saw it fulfilled in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.

We know that Muhammad was surrounded by Jewish and some Christian communities.  They would have known the Scripture.  The Scribes and monks would have definitely read it on a regular basis.  The priests certainly would have known of it for sure.  It was used in the Church liturgy after all.  Christianity and Judaism were very established religions at this point.  It wasn’t as if Muhammad was thrown into a theological no mans land.  This was the seventh century, not the second century.

I haven’t read all of the Muslim sources but I would like to know where the people around him would have seen that Muhammad was the Muhammadim of Song of Solomon.  Muhammad was surrounded by Jews and Christians and many of them became Muslim.  Is there a statement from any of the early Muslims that Muhammad was who they were waiting for; the man foretold in the Song of Solomon.  The man who is altogether lovely according to the verse.

This verse is probably the third most important prophecy that Muslims use about Muhammad.  The first two being the Prophet like Moses from Deuteronomy and the Paraclete from the Gospel of John.

Did the Muslims in the time of Muhammad or shortly afterwards recognize this as the fulfillment of the Song of Solomon?  If yes, I’d like to see the references.  If not, I’d like to see who the first person was that used this argument.  I wouldn’t be surprised if it was less than 200 years ago or even from Ahmad Deedat himself.  But oh well, prove me wrong Muslims!  I’d love to see the early references.