Is Selah in the Bible same as Salawat?!

“Selah (Hebrew: סֶלָה, also transliterated as selāh) is a word used 74 times in the Hebrew Bible  – 71 times in the Psalms and three times in Habakkuk and is a difficult concept to translate.” (English Wikipedia)

Jewish Encyclopedia in regard to Selah says: “Term of uncertain etymology and grammatical form and of doubtful meaning … That the real significance of this curious term (or combination of letters) was not known even by the ancient versions is evidenced by the variety of renderings given to it … Nor is there greater unanimity among modern scholars than among the ancient versions …”

So biblical scholars claim that the real meaning of this curious term or combination of letters is unknown …

As a sample, let us look at few statements from the current old testament of bible, book of the Prophet Habakkuk (SBUH)- a Prophet years after Moses- in which a glad tiding to the two coming Prophets Jesus and Mohammad (SBUT) are given and then this mysterious term or combination of letters “SELAH” is mentioned; chapter 3, statements 3 to 6:  

3 

God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount PARAN. SELAH. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. 

4 

And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power. 

5 

Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet. 

6 

He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: HIS WAYS ARE EVERLASTING.

Since the Prophet Habakkuk was after Moses (SBUT), he has mentioned the two coming Prophets; the first one from Teman being the Prophet Jesus (SBUH) and the second one being the Prophet from Mount PARAN, i.e. the Prophet Mohammad (SBUH and HA). Please also refer to the Ebook “Mohammad and AhlulBayt (SBUT), the Promise of Bible” in this site: kindfather.com

Notice that SELAH has been left in its Hebrew form in the text of most translations of the bible to other languages; then different scholars have been trying to assign a meaning to it …

The English Wikipedia in regard to Selah states: “Its [Selah’s] etymology and precise meaning are unknown … selah may mean "forever," as it does in some places in the liturgy … Jerome, and the Targum translate it as "always." …”

So some adherents to bible claim that Selah  may mean “forever”; such a meaning seems to have been emphasized at the end of statement No. six, as seen in the above English translation: HIS WAYS ARE EVERLASTING; of course even if the word SELAH is not considered with such meaning, still, HIS WAYS ARE EVERLASTING, is there. Therefore, according to the current old testament, the Final Prophet from Mount PARAN is he whose glory shall cover the heavens, and the earth will be full of his praise, and his brightness will be as the light, and HIS WAYS ARE EVERLASTING (also see Qur'an 33:21, 33:56, 33:40, 9:33, 48:28, 61:9, 24:35 …), and he loves the people (see Qur'an 9:128, 21:107 …), and he has brought a fiery law (Shari'at with Jehaad (Jihad) which means war under the command of the Infallible Prophet and the twelve Imams (SBUT) …) and …; i.e. the final Law and ways- Shari'at of Mohammad (SBUH and HA)- of Allah's ever-propagated Religion by all Prophets (SBUT)- Islam-, is everlasting and shall remain until the End; as the Prophet Mohammad (SBUH and HA) has said over and over that his Halaal (Lawful) and Haraam (Unlawful) are Halaal and Haraam forever (Sermon of Ghadir…); and with the glorious Appearance of his final Successor- Imam Mahdi (SBUH)-, his EVERLASTING WAYS will expand all over the world …

The English Wikipedia in regard to Selah also states: “Another interpretation claims that selah comes from the primary Hebrew root word salah … it is reported in various cities in the middle east, that the word selah originates in Syrian Aramaic as a word reserved for prayer as a praise … BDB shows that the main derivation of the Hebrew word selah is found through the fientive verb root סֶ֜לָה which means "to lift up” or "to exalt," … perhaps the most instructive way to view the use of this word, … would be as the writer's instruction to the reader to pause and exalt the Lord …”

So Selah according to some biblical scholars may also be some type of praising. This becomes evident in phrases such as Psalms 84:4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.

Let us now look at Psalms 84 … in Psalms 84:1-2 tabernacles and courts of the Lord i.e. Houses Of God where the Living God is worshipped are mentioned; then in statements 3-6 a certain House of God is mentioned in which birds have found a place to lay their young, and those dwelling in that House of God are blessed and do praise (Selah), and a certain man is mentioned whose strength is in God and in his heart are the ways of those dwelling in that House, and this House is in Baca (Baka, Bacca … in different versions)with a well (spring, fountain … in different versions) …:

84:3 Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God.

84:4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.

84:5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.

84:6 Who passing through the valley of Bacca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.

In most bible translations the word Baka or Baca or Bacca is left as such being a proper name of a place. In some versions of bible such as DRC and ASV Baca is translated as tears and weeping. Aramaic Bible in Plain English says: They passed by the valley of weeping and they have made it a dwelling place …

In Qur’an 3:96 we read:

Most surely the first House (of worship) appointed for mankind is the one at Bakka, blessed and a guidance for the worlds.

Bakka is a variant for Makka (Mecca). A root of the Arabic word بَكَّةَ  means tears; in the authentic Shi’ah Hadith collection, ‘Elal al-Sharaaye’, 2:397, Baab 137, it has been narrated from Imam Saadeq (SBUH) that Mecca is called Bakka because men and women shed tears there …

It has also been narrated from Imam Saadeq (SBUH) that after the birth of Ismael from Haajar (Hagar), Sara who was unable to bear children, repeatedly annoyed Ibrahim (SBUT) in regard to Haajar … Ibrahim becoming sad appealed to Allah in this regard … Allah commanded Ibrahim to take his wife Haajar and his son Ismael next to His blessed House in Makka (Mecca) … Allah sent Jebrael (Gabriel) with a Boraaq (heavenly carrier being) to carry Ibrahim, Ismael and Haajar (SBUT) to Mecca … (Tafsir al-Borhaan, 1:330-331) and any time Ibrahim used to go and visit Ismael and Haajar (SBUT) he used to ride this same Boraaq. (Majma’ al-Bayaan, in regard to verses 37:101-113) We know that the foundations of Ka’bah as the first House of worship for all worlds of beings was laid by Hadrat Adam (SBUH) (Qur’an 3:96) and years later Ibrahim and Ismael (SBUT) raised the existing foundations of Ka’bah (Qur’an 2:127) By command of Allah, Ibrahim stationed his son and wife in that ever-sacred place and then with tearful eyes prayed heartfully to Allah for them and their future generations (Qur’an 14:35-37) Of the first results of this prayer was when Haajar in search of water ran seven times between the Safa and Marwah mountains, a spring gushed from under the foot of the child which was named Zamzam that is still remaining. (Muslims still in commemoration of this event in the Hajj rituals run seven times in the way between the location of Safa and Marwah mountains.) Birds seeing the water went to that location (still there are always birds around Ka’bah …) … and the monotheist tribe of bani-Jorhom followed the birds in search of water and found Haajar and Ismael (SBUT). The bani-Jorhom seeing the spring gushing from under the feet of the child asked Haajar regarding their identity. The bani-Jorhom who had heard of Ibrahim, felt very humble before his wife and child, and asked Haajar’s permission to dwell there. Hadrat Ibrahim had already told Haajar regarding this event and had commanded Haajar to grant them permission to remain there … this was how Allah sent the monotheist bani-Jorhom tribe to assist Ismael and Haajar (SBUT) … and when Ismael grew to be a young man married a young girl from this tribe … Of the next results of Ibrahim’s prayer was the ever-monotheist bani-Haashem of children of Ismael (SBUT) from whom are the Prophet Mohammad and the AhlulBayt (SBUT) … (Majma’; Borhaan; …)

Let us remember Ibrahim’s (SBUH) prayer:

Qur’an 14:37 O’ our Lord! Surely I have settled some of my offspring in a valley without cultivation, next to Your Bayt al-Moharram (the Sacred House); our Lord! That they be upholders of Salat (Salah, Prayer); so make the hearts of some people yearn for them, and provide for them from the Fruits; perhaps they will be grateful.   

Yes … in Baka (Mecca) is the blessed House of worship to where the birds went and laid their young and birds are still there … the blessed Ismael and Haajar dwelled there and a spring of a well gushed there and still is … and from Ismael came bani-Haashem, from whom are the AhlulBayt, the Fruits of Mohammad (SBUT) and they have been true upholders of Salah and Hadrat Mahdi (SBUH) still is … SELAH … Ibrahim was the Blessed man whose strength was in God and in his heart were Mohammad and AhlulBayt and their everlasting ways …

Considering all these points … it seems very likely that Selah (Salah) in bible is some type of praising, blessing … Salah and Salawat in Arabic are from the same root and in Islamic terminology mean praying, praising, saluting … thus the private indications by some jewish scholars that Selah (Salah) in bible has actually always been Salawat upon Mohammad and the AhlulBayt (SBUT) is quite believable … please also read “Wilayat of Mohammad and AhlulBayt (SBUT), from creation to eternity” in this site kindfather.com

Allah knows best …

May Allah hasten the glorious Appearance of Imam Mahdi (SBUH) when the Truth shall be revealed …

AAMEEN …