Wikipedia's first sentence called it “the 3rd sura of the qur'an with 200 ayat”. Today it says “third chapter”.
Measured, not asserted. Every count, date and revision on this page was taken from Wikipedia's own history and checked against the live article. The words quoted are theirs.
Machine-checked against the full current article on 2026-08-03.
We saved snapshots of this article over twenty years; you are reading the 2005 one. Red dashes: removed from Wikipedia since.Pale dots: rewritten; the numbered note shows what it says now.Red text: written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot.1 tap a number or a side note to jump between them
The opening as it read in 2005
Surat ' āl-Imrān ("The Family of Amram") is the 3rd sura of the Qur'an with 200 ayat . Imran, the Muslim equivalent of Amram , is the father of Mūsā ( Moses ) and Hārūn ( Aaron ) who was also spoken about in Judeo-Christian tradition. The chapter was revealed in Medina and is either the second or third in Medinan revelation. Almost all of it also belongs to the 3rd year of the Hijrah with the possible exception of verse 61 which mentions Mubāhalah and therefore might have been revealed during the visit of the Najrān Christian deputation which was occurred in the 10th year of the Hijrah . Evidence for that theory is, however, scant. This chapter primarily focuses on the departure of prophethood from the Mosaic dispensation . The Surat has two major messages each discussed in one of two sections: The first section, ayat 1 to 120, guides as to how to resist temptation and immorality stemming from external sources and affirming the faith. Example: He (God) revealed the scripture (Qur'an) corroborating existing beliefs and it is He who revealed the Torah and the Gospel . 03 This ayat affirms the belief in the sacred text and its message. Fair in the eyes of men is the love of things they covet: Women and offspring; Heaped-up hoards of gold and silver; horses branded (for blood and excellence); and (wealth of) cattle and well-tilled land. Such are the possessions of this world's life; but in nearness to Allah is the best of the goals (To return to). 14 Say: "We believe in Allah , and in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and in (the Books) given to Moses, Jesus, and the prophets, from their Lord: We make no distinction between one and another among them, and to Allah do we bow our will (in Islam)." 86 Affirming belief. Observe your duty to Allah with right observance, and die not but Muslims.120 Instructing to remain pious till death. The second section, ayat 121 till the end of the Sura, guides as to how to resist immorality from within. Example: And hold fast by the covenant of Allah all together and be not disunited, and remember the favor of Allah on you when you were enemies, then He united your hearts so by His favor you became brethren; and you were on the brink of a pit of fire, then He saved you from it, thus does Allah make clear to you His communications that you may follow the right way. 103 Asking to unite and not hate. Culminating with; O ye who believe! Persevere in patience and constancy; vie in such perseverance; strengthen each other; and fear Allah; that ye may prosper.2001
This is Wikipedia's own text, saved in our repository. Their copy of it is revision 16973290.
The opening as it stood in 2020 15 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
3rd chapter of the Qur'an Tiling of Sura of Imran, 193 Al Imran ( ʾĀl ʿImrān , "The Family of Imran") is the third chapter ( sūrah ) of the Quran with two hundred verses ( āyāt ).Encyclopaedia of Islam (2nd ed.).
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 964317262.
The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023
3rd chapter of the Quran Double-page with the beginning of the chapter Al Imran.Text page written in gold thuluth script outlined in black, with the chapter heading overlayed in red ink.From the Qur'an commissioned by the future sultan Baibars in 1304.British Library Al Imran ( , āl ʿimrān ; meaning: The Family of Imran ) is the third chapter ( sūrah ) of the Quran with two hundred verses ( āyāt ).This chapter is named after the family of Imran (Joachim), which includes Imran , Saint Anne (wife of Imran), Mary , and Jesus .Regarding the timing and contextual background of the believed revelation ( asbāb al-nuzūl ), the chapter is believed to have been either the second or third of the Medinan surahs , as it references both the events of the battles of badr and Uhud .Almost all of it also belongs to the third Hijri year , though a minority of its verses might have been revealed during the visit of the Najrān Christian deputation at the event of the mubahala , which occurred around the 10th year of the Hijrah. Encyclopaedia of Islam (2nd ed.).
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1174085068.
The opening as it stood in 2025
3rd chapter of the Quran Double-page with the beginning of the chapter Al Imran. Text page written in gold thuluth script outlined in black, with the chapter heading overlayed in red ink. From the Qur'an commissioned by the future sultan Baibars in 1304. British Library Al Imran ( Arabic : آل عِمْرَانَ , āl ʿimrān ; meaning: The Family of Imran ) is the third chapter ( sūrah ) of the Quran with two hundred verses ( āyāt ). This chapter is named after the family of Imran (Joachim), which includes Imran , Saint Anne (wife of Imran), Mary , and Jesus . Regarding the timing and contextual background of the asbāb al-nuzūl or circumstances of revelation, the chapter is believed to have been either the second or third of the Medinan surahs , as it references both the events of the battles of Badr and Uhud . Almost all of it also belongs to the third Hijri year , though a minority of its verses might have been revealed during the visit of the deputation of the Christian community of Najran at the event of the mubahala , which occurred around the 10th year of the Hijrah. Encyclopaedia of Islam (2nd ed.).
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1284477569. This is our newest snapshot; the live article may have moved again since.
Today
Wikipedia's first sentence called it “the 3rd sura of the qur'an with 200 ayat”. Today it says “third chapter”. Read the current article and compare.
2005
2010
2015
2020
Oct '23
2025
Counts in the opening at each snapshot. Green: the word gained ground. Red: it was cut. Grey: no change.
What Wikipedia says this is
Every article opens by defining its subject. This one was redefined since 2005, and today's defining sentence is their current revision.
Then
the 3rd sura of the qur'an with 200 ayat
Now
third chapter
Struck red text is no longer in the article; dotted amber text was rewritten. Every revision id links to Wikipedia's copy; the text shown is our own saved copy. Data: /data. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA; quoted for the record; not affiliated with Wikipedia.
