Wikipedia's first sentence called it “often suicide bombings but include other forms of martyrdom operations”. Today it says “arabic word for " martyrdom "”. The one-line description Wikipedia serves to search engines and AI systems read “Arabic word meaning "martyrdom", "death of a martyr" or "heroic death"”. It now reads “Arabic term for martyrdom as used in Islamic theology”.
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 2025 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 2025
Arabic term for martyrdom as used in Islamic theology Not to be confused with Shahada . Martyrs are given the honorific shaheed . The word derives from the root shahida ( Arabic : شهد ), meaning "to witness". Traditionally martyrdom has an exalted place in Islam. It is widely believed among Muslims that the sins of believers who "die in the way of God" will be forgiven by Allah . Shia views on martyrdom have been profoundly influenced by internal Muslim conflicts, notably Husayn ibn Ali 's martyrdom at Karbala in 680, shaping it as a central belief and practice. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the term istishhad has been redefined by Jihadists to emphasize the "heroism" of sacrifice, rather than portraying it as an act of victimization . This concept has evolved into a military and political strategy known among Jihadist groups as "martyrdom operations". although Western media commonly refer to them as suicide attacks . These acts contain "a central ideological pillar and organizational ideal" of waging "active jihad against the perceived enemies of Islam". Sunni Islamist figures such as Hassan Al-Banna viewed martyrdom as a duty incumbent upon every Muslim, urging them to ready themselves for it and to excel in the "art of death". Contemporary Shi'ite perspectives on martyrdom have commonly followed similar paths. The rise of many martyrs in conflicts spanning regions such as Palestine , Afghanistan , Kashmir , Chechnya , Iraq , and Iran has been accompanied by extensive literature glorifying their actions. Jihadist terror groups, in particular Al-Qaeda , have "employed innovative modes of action and raised suicide terrorism’s level of destruction and fatalities to previously unknown heights". Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World . A lecture delivered at Husain Day, held at New York, on Sunday, October 25, 1987 . Paradise and Hell in Islamic Traditions . Perspectives on Terrorism . 7 (5): 8. Whitehead and Nasser Abufarha, "Suicide, violence, and cultural conceptions of martyrdom in Palestine" , Social Research , Summer 2008 Romero, Juan (2022). Terrorism: the Power and Weakness of Fear . Al-Qaeda and the Internationalization of Suicide Terrorism . There are <ref group=note> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a template (see the help page ).
This is Wikipedia's own text, saved in our repository. Their copy of it is revision 1294583506.
The opening as it stood in 2010
In recent years the term has been said to "emphasize ... heroism in the act of sacrifice" rather than "victimization" and "developed ... into a military and political strategy," often called "martyrdom operations". Istishhad attacks are often suicide bombings but include other forms of martyrdom operations. One of the first forms of modern Istishhad was crossing through minefields to detonate buried landmines and clear a safe battlefield path for following soldiers.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 360374856.
The opening as it stood in 2015 2 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
In recent years the term has been said to "emphasize... heroism in the act of sacrifice" rather than " victimization ", and has "developed...into a military and political strategy", often called "martyrdom operations". Whitehead and Nasser Abufarha, "Suicide, violence, and cultural conceptions of martyrdom in Palestine" , Social Research , Summer 2008
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 667138763.
The opening as it stood in 2020
Arabic word meaning "martyrdom", "death of a martyr" or "heroic death" Istishhad ( ) is the Arabic word for " martyrdom ", "death of a martyr", or "heroic death". In recent years the term has been said to "emphasize... heroism in the act of sacrifice" rather than " victimization ", and has "developed...into a military and political strategy", often called "martyrdom operations". One who martyrs themselves is given the honorific shahid . Whitehead and Nasser Abufarha, "Suicide, violence, and cultural conceptions of martyrdom in Palestine" , Social Research , Summer 2008
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 952424442.
The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023
Arabic term for martyrdom Istishhad ( ) is the Arabic word for " martyrdom ", "death of a martyr", or "heroic death".(from the root "to witness").Traditionally martyrdom has an exalted place in Islam , and certainly Shi'i Islam .It is widely believed among Muslims that the sins of believers who "die in the way of God" will be forgiven by Allah.In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the term istishhad has been said to emphasize the "heroism" of sacrifice, rather than " victimization ".It had been "developed...into a military and political strategy", often called "martyrdom operations", that contained "a central ideological pillar and organizational ideal" of waging "active jihad against the perceived enemies of Islam".Jihadist terror groups, in particular Al-Qaeda, have "employed innovative modes of action and raised suicide terrorism’s level of destruction and fatalities to previously unknown heights". One who martyrs themselves is given the honorific shaheed . A lecture delivered at Husain Day, held at New York, on Sunday, October 25, 1987 .Paradise and Hell in Islamic Traditions .Perspectives on Terrorism . 7 (5): 8.Whitehead and Nasser Abufarha, "Suicide, violence, and cultural conceptions of martyrdom in Palestine" , Social Research , Summer 2008 Schweitzer, Yoram; Ferber, Sari Goldstein (2005).Al-Qaeda and the Internationalization of Suicide Terrorism .There are <ref group=note> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a template (see the help page ).
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1176338093.
Today
Wikipedia's first sentence called it “often suicide bombings but include other forms of martyrdom operations”. Today it says “arabic word for " martyrdom "”. The one-line description Wikipedia serves to search engines and AI systems read “Arabic word meaning "martyrdom", "death of a martyr" or "heroic death"”. It now reads “Arabic term for martyrdom as used in Islamic theology”. Read the current article and compare.
2010
2015
2020
Oct '23
2025
terror
0
0
0
2
1
islamist
0
0
0
0
1
jihad
0
0
0
2
3
martyr
2
1
6
6
12
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 2010, and today's defining sentence is their current revision.
Then
often suicide bombings but include other forms of martyrdom operations
Now
arabic word for " martyrdom "
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.
