The word “genocide” appeared 1 times in this article's opening at its peak in 2010. Today the opening carries none. 9 remain further down the article, where a reader arriving from a search result does not go.
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Machine-checked against the full current article on 2026-08-02. “genocide” appeared 1 times in this article's opening at its peak. Today the opening has none; the body has 9.
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The opening as it read in 2010
Michael Anthony Sells is currently the John Henry Barrows Professor of Islamic History and Literature at the Divinity School of the University of Chicago .1[1] From his biography: Born in Butte MT, on May 8, 1949, Michael Sells studies and teaches in the areas of qur'anic studies; Sufism; Arabic and Islamic love poetry; mysticism (Greek, Islamic, Christian, and Jewish); and religion and violence.2He is currently completing a new and expanded edition of his 1999 book Approaching the Qur'an: the Early Revelations . He has published three volumes on Arabic poetry: Desert Tracings: Six Classic Arabian Odes ; which focuses upon the pre-Islamic period; Stations of Desire , which focuses upon the love poetry of Ibn al-`Arabi; and The Cambridge History of Arabic Literature, Al-Andalus which he co-edited and to which he contributed. His books on mysticism include Early Islamic Mysticism , translations and commentaries on influential mystical passages from the Qur'an, hadith, Arabic poetry, and early Sufi writings; and Mystical Languages of Unsaying , an examination of apophatic language, with special attention to Plotinus, John the Scot, Ibn al-`Arabi, Meister Eckhart, and Marguerite Porete. His work on religion and violence includes: The Bridge Betrayed: Religion and Genocide in Bosnia ; and The New Crusades: Constructing the Muslim Enemy which he co-edited and to which he contributed. He teaches courses on the topics of the Qur'an, Islamic love poetry, comparative mystical literature, Arabic Sufi poetry, and Ibn al-`Arabi.3
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The opening as it stood in 2015 5 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Michael Anthony Sells (Born in Butte MT, on May 8, 1949) is the John Henry Barrows Professor of Islamic History and Literature at the Divinity School of the University of Chicago . Michael Sells studies and teaches in the areas of qur'anic studies, Sufism, Arabic and Islamic love poetry, mysticism (Greek, Islamic, Christian, and Jewish), and religion and violence .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 660176027.
The opening as it stood in 2020
Michael Anthony Sells (born May 8, 1949) is an American historian and scholar of religion who is the current Professor of Islamic History and Literature at the Divinity School of the University of Chicago . Michael Sells studies and teaches in the areas of Qur'anic studies, Sufism, Arabic and Islamic love poetry, mysticism (Greek, Islamic, Christian, and Jewish), and religion and violence .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 954151130.
The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023 1 passage from the previous snapshot no longer appear
American scholar Michael Anthony Sells (born May 8, 1949) is John Henry Barrows Professor of Islamic History and Literature in the Divinity School and in the Department of Comparative Literature at the University of Chicago . Michael Sells studies and teaches in the areas of Qur'anic studies, Sufism, Arabic and Islamic love poetry, mysticism (Greek, Islamic, Christian, and Jewish), and religion and violence .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1153728766.
The opening as it stood in 2025
American Islamic studies scholar (born 1949) Michael Anthony Sells (born May 8, 1949) is John Henry Barrows Professor of Islamic History and Literature in the Divinity School and in the Department of Comparative Literature at the University of Chicago . Michael Sells studies and teaches in the areas of Qur'anic studies , Sufism , Arabic and Islamic love poetry, mysticism (Greek, Islamic, Christian, and Jewish), and religion and violence .
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Today
“genocide” appeared 1 times in this article's opening at its peak. Today the opening has none; the body has 9. Read the current article and compare.
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genocide
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What Wikipedia says this is
Every article opens by defining its subject. This one was redefined between 2010 and 2025.
Then
john henry barrows professor of islamic history and literature at the divinity school of the university of chic
Now
john henry barrows professor of islamic history and literature in the divinity school and in the department of
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