Historical studies of the dead, anatomisation and the use of bodies for research processes have become increasingly numerous since the early 2000s. Adopting theories and methodological approaches drawn from cultural studies, ethnography, social history, sociology, anthropology and intellectual history, writers have given us an increasingly rich understanding of cultures of death, the engagement of the medical professions with the dead body and the wider culture of body ethics. It is unfeasible (and not desirable) to give a rendering of the breadth of this field, given its locus at the intersection of so many disciplines. To do so would overburden the reader with a cumbersome and time-consuming literature review. Imagine entering an academic library and realising that the set reading for this topic covered three floors of books, articles and associated material. It could make even the most enthusiastic student of the dead feel defeated. Two features of that literature, however, are important; this chapter thus focusses on them, and in doing so, sets out the main trends in its field of study, the historical gaps there are, and the new contributions being made, to frame this novel book.

This chapter presents examples from followers of these scholars within the West, but also from within Muslim majority countries, who are initiating new platforms to provide solutions to modern day challenges adopting an Islamic framework. These initiatives range from Islamic clothing chains that preserve Muslim modesty while allowing one to blend with the local tastes; protecting the environment and promoting organic farming; the launch of social spaces that connect Muslims among themselves but also with other communities; and the promotion of Islamic art and culture. The chapter ends by noting some of the challenges this movement would have to address to sustain its rapid pace of expansion.