Focus and Scope

Focus

Al-Tafaqquh: Journal of Islamic Law is a peer-reviewed scholarly journal published by the Faculty of Islamic Studies, Universitas Muslim Indonesia, Indonesia. The journal publishes original, high-quality research on Islamic law, with particular emphasis on ijtihad, Islamic legal reasoning, usul al-fiqh, maqasid al-shariah, and socio-legal transformation.

The journal examines Islamic law as a dynamic legal tradition shaped by social, cultural, political, institutional, and technological developments. With particular attention to Indonesia, Southeast Asia, and the Global South, Al-Tafaqquh promotes critical and interdisciplinary scholarship on Islamic jurisprudence, legal pluralism, legal reform, justice, and contemporary legal challenges.

Scope

The journal welcomes original research employing doctrinal, normative-juridical, socio-legal, qualitative, comparative, historical, and interdisciplinary approaches. Its scope includes, but is not limited to, the following areas:

1. Islamic Law and Socio-Legal Transformation: Legal reform, legal pluralism, customary law, and contemporary social change.
2. Islamic Legal Thought and Jurisprudence: Fiqh, usul al-fiqh, ijtihad, maqasid al-shariah, Islamic legal maxims, and contemporary fatwas.
3. Islamic Family Law, Gender, and Justice: Marriage, divorce, inheritance, child protection, gender relations, and family law reform.
4. Islamic Judicial Institutions and Governance: Religious courts, judicial reasoning, Islamic constitutional and criminal law, arbitration, mediation, and legal authority.
5. Islamic Economic Law and Financial Governance: Islamic contracts, banking, finance, zakat, waqf, fintech, and economic justice.
6. Islamic Law and Digital Transformation: Artificial intelligence, digital assets, digital inheritance, online fatwas, electronic transactions, and digital rights.
7. Global South and Contemporary Islamic Legal Issues: Postcolonial approaches, local wisdom, human rights, public ethics, environmental justice, and comparative Islamic law.

Peer Review Policy

Al-Tafaqquh: Journal of Islamic Law applies a rigorous double-blind peer review process to ensure originality, academic quality, methodological rigor, and scholarly contribution. The identities of authors and reviewers are concealed from each other throughout the review process.

Each manuscript passing the initial editorial screening is evaluated by at least two independent reviewers with relevant expertise in Islamic law, Islamic jurisprudence, legal studies, or interdisciplinary research.

Peer Review Process Flowchart

Revised submissions are assessed by the editor and may undergo additional peer review. Declined submissions do not proceed to publication.

Review Criteria

1. Originality and contribution to Islamic legal scholarship.
2. Relevance to the journal's focus and scope.
3. Clarity of research questions and objectives.
4. Appropriateness and rigor of research methodology.
5. Quality of legal reasoning, argumentation, and interpretation.
6. Engagement with relevant scholarly literature.
7. Significance of research findings and conclusions.
8. Academic integrity, ethical compliance, and clarity of writing.

Editorial Decision and Revision

Following peer review, the editor may decide to accept the manuscript, request revisions, require resubmission for further review, or decline the submission.

Authors requested to revise their manuscripts must submit a revised version accompanied by a point-by-point response explaining how reviewers' comments have been addressed. Manuscripts requiring substantial revisions may undergo an additional review cycle.

Final Editorial Decision

The final decision regarding publication is made by the Editor-in-Chief or the designated handling editor. Decisions are based on academic merit, reviewers' recommendations, methodological quality, originality, and compliance with the journal's editorial policies.

Confidentiality and Publication Ethics

All editors and reviewers are required to maintain confidentiality, avoid conflicts of interest, and provide objective, constructive, and professional evaluations. Manuscripts must comply with recognized principles of publication ethics and research integrity.

Open Access Policy

Al-Tafaqquh: Journal of Islamic Law is committed to the principle of open access, ensuring that scholarly research is freely and immediately accessible to readers worldwide.

All published articles are available online without subscription fees or access restrictions. Readers may access, read, download, and share scholarly publications in accordance with the journal's applicable copyright and licensing policies.

By promoting open access, the journal aims to support the global dissemination of knowledge, strengthen academic collaboration, and encourage the development of Islamic legal scholarship across geographical and institutional boundaries.

BENEFITS OF OPEN ACCESS FOR AUTHORS

• Worldwide Accessibility: Research articles are freely accessible to scholars, practitioners, students, and the public worldwide.
• Increased Visibility: Open access can improve the discoverability and readership of scholarly publications.
• Wider Academic Impact: Research findings can reach a broader international audience.
• Knowledge Dissemination: Research contributes to the advancement of Islamic law and interdisciplinary legal studies.
• Academic Collaboration: Open access encourages scholarly dialogue and collaboration among researchers.
• Knowledge Sharing: Readers can access published research without subscription barriers.

COPYRIGHT AND LICENSING

Authors retain copyright to their scholarly works while granting Al-Tafaqquh: Journal of Islamic Law the right of first publication.

Under the proposed licensing framework, published articles are distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0).

YOU ARE FREE TO

UNDER THE FOLLOWING TERMS

1. Attribution (BY)

Users must give appropriate credit to the original authors and the journal, provide a link to the license, and indicate whether changes have been made. Attribution must not suggest endorsement by the authors or publisher.

2. NonCommercial (NC)

The published material may not be used for commercial purposes without obtaining any additional permission required from the rights holder.

3. ShareAlike (SA)

If users remix, transform, or build upon the material, they must distribute their contributions under the same Creative Commons license as the original material.

4. No Additional Restrictions

Users may not impose additional legal conditions or technological measures that restrict others from exercising the rights permitted by the license.

AUTHOR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Authors retain copyright in their original research and are responsible for ensuring that their manuscripts comply with academic integrity, copyright, and publication ethics requirements.

Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to reproduce copyrighted materials from third parties where necessary.

Authors may share their published articles in institutional repositories, scholarly platforms, and personal academic websites, subject to the applicable licensing conditions and appropriate acknowledgment of the original publication.

READER RIGHTS

Readers may access published articles without subscription or registration requirements. Reading and downloading articles are free of charge.

Reuse, redistribution, translation, and adaptation of published content must comply with the applicable license terms and respect the rights of authors and third parties.

IMPORTANT NOTICES

• License conditions do not apply where material is in the public domain or where an applicable legal exception permits its use.
• The license does not automatically grant rights relating to privacy, publicity, or other protected interests.
• Third-party materials may be subject to separate copyright or permission requirements.
• No warranties are provided under the Creative Commons license.

1. Publication Ethics Statement

Al-Tafaqquh: Journal of Islamic Law is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics, academic integrity, transparency, and responsible scholarly communication. This statement establishes the ethical responsibilities of editors, reviewers, authors, and the publisher throughout the publication process.

The journal's ethical policies are informed by the principles and recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and internationally recognized standards of responsible scholarly publishing.

The journal promotes original, rigorous, and ethically conducted research in Islamic law, including Islamic jurisprudence, Islamic family law, Islamic legal theory, comparative legal studies, legal pluralism, socio-legal research, and interdisciplinary approaches to Islamic legal scholarship.

2. Duties and Responsibilities of Editors

2.1 Publication Decisions

The Editor-in-Chief and designated editors are responsible for deciding which manuscripts are suitable for publication. Editorial decisions must be based on scholarly merit, originality, methodological rigor, relevance to the journal's focus and scope, and the recommendations of qualified reviewers.

2.2 Fair and Impartial Evaluation

Editors must evaluate manuscripts without discrimination based on gender, religion, ethnicity, nationality, institutional affiliation, political opinion, or personal background. Academic quality and intellectual contribution shall remain the primary considerations in editorial decisions.

2.3 Confidentiality

Editors and editorial staff must maintain the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts. Information concerning a manuscript may only be disclosed to individuals directly involved in the editorial and peer review process, as appropriate.

2.4 Conflicts of Interest

Editors must disclose and appropriately manage any financial, institutional, professional, or personal conflicts of interest. Editors with relevant conflicts must withdraw from handling the affected manuscript.

2.5 Ethical Oversight

Editors shall investigate credible allegations of plagiarism, data fabrication, falsification, citation manipulation, unethical research practices, compromised peer review, or other forms of publication misconduct.

3. Duties and Responsibilities of Reviewers

3.1 Contribution to Editorial Decisions

Peer reviewers assist editors in evaluating the academic quality, originality, relevance, and methodological soundness of submitted manuscripts. Reviews should provide constructive recommendations that contribute to improving scholarly quality.

3.2 Confidentiality

Reviewers must treat manuscripts as confidential documents and must not disclose, distribute, or use unpublished information without appropriate authorization.

3.3 Objectivity and Professionalism

Reviews must be conducted objectively, respectfully, and on the basis of scholarly evidence. Personal criticism, discriminatory comments, and unsupported judgments are unacceptable.

3.4 Recognition of Relevant Sources

Reviewers should identify significant scholarly works, legal authorities, or relevant sources that have been overlooked. Suspected plagiarism, substantial textual overlap, or inappropriate citation practices must be reported confidentially to the editor.

3.5 Conflicts of Interest and Timeliness

Reviewers must disclose potential conflicts of interest and decline assignments when impartial evaluation cannot be guaranteed. Reviewers who are unable to complete an assessment within the agreed period should promptly notify the editor.

4. Duties and Responsibilities of Authors

4.1 Originality and Plagiarism

Authors must submit original scholarly work that has not been published previously, except where permitted and appropriately disclosed under the journal's policies. All sources, quotations, ideas, and scholarly contributions from others must be properly acknowledged.

Plagiarism, including unattributed copying, inappropriate paraphrasing, misappropriation of ideas, and substantial unacknowledged textual overlap, is strictly prohibited.

4.2 Multiple and Redundant Publication

Authors must not submit the same manuscript simultaneously to multiple journals. Redundant, duplicate, or overlapping publication without appropriate disclosure and justification constitutes unethical publishing behavior.

4.3 Accuracy and Research Integrity

Authors must present research findings, legal interpretations, empirical evidence, and scholarly arguments accurately and transparently. Fabrication, falsification, selective misrepresentation, and deliberate distortion of research findings are unacceptable.

4.4 Authorship and Contributorship

Authorship must reflect substantial intellectual contributions to the research and manuscript. All listed authors must approve the submitted version and accept responsibility for their respective contributions. Individuals who contributed but do not meet authorship criteria should be appropriately acknowledged.

4.5 Acknowledgment and Citation of Sources

Authors must accurately cite relevant scholarly literature, primary legal sources, statutes, judicial decisions, Islamic legal texts, and other materials used in their research. Citations must faithfully represent the original meaning and context of the referenced sources.

4.6 Research Ethics and Informed Consent

Research involving interviews, surveys, observations, personal information, or human participants must comply with applicable ethical requirements. Authors must obtain informed consent when required, protect participants' privacy, and disclose relevant institutional ethical approval or justified exemptions.

4.7 Data Availability and Transparency

Authors should maintain accurate research records and provide supporting information when reasonably requested by the editorial team, subject to applicable legal, ethical, confidentiality, and data protection restrictions.

4.8 Disclosure of Funding and Conflicts of Interest

Authors must disclose relevant funding sources, institutional support, and financial or non-financial interests that could reasonably influence the research, analysis, interpretation, or conclusions.

4.9 Errors in Published Works

Authors who discover significant errors or inaccuracies in their published articles must promptly notify the editorial office and cooperate in issuing appropriate corrections or retractions.

5. Ethical Standards in Islamic Legal Research

Recognizing the distinctive characteristics of Islamic legal scholarship, the journal requires authors to observe the following principles:

• Integrity of Islamic legal sources: Qur'anic verses, Hadith, classical jurisprudential texts, and contemporary Islamic legal authorities must be cited accurately and interpreted within their appropriate scholarly contexts.
• Responsible legal interpretation: Interpretations of Islamic law must be supported by transparent reasoning, appropriate methodology, and relevant authoritative sources.
• Respect for scholarly diversity: Differences among Islamic legal schools, intellectual traditions, and methodological approaches should be discussed critically and respectfully.
• Socio-legal research ethics: Field research involving communities, religious institutions, judicial bodies, or vulnerable participants must respect confidentiality, informed consent, and applicable ethical standards.
• Accuracy of legal documentation: Statutes, judicial decisions, fatwas, regulations, and other legal materials must be represented accurately without misleading alteration or selective quotation.

6. Publication Malpractice and Misconduct

The journal does not tolerate unethical publication practices, including but not limited to:

• Plagiarism and unattributed appropriation of intellectual work.
• Fabrication or falsification of research data and findings.
• Duplicate submission and redundant publication.
• Undisclosed conflicts of interest.
• Inappropriate authorship attribution or ghost authorship.
• Citation manipulation and misleading references.
• Manipulation or fabrication of peer review.
• Misrepresentation of research ethics approval or informed consent.
• Unauthorized disclosure or misuse of confidential research information.

7. Handling Allegations of Misconduct

Allegations of publication misconduct shall be assessed fairly, confidentially, and objectively. The editorial team may request explanations, supporting documents, original research records, or clarification from the parties involved.

When necessary, the journal may consult relevant institutions or follow applicable COPE guidance. Authors shall be given a reasonable opportunity to respond before a final determination is made.

8. Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

The journal is committed to preserving the integrity of the scholarly record. When appropriate, it may publish:

• Correction: To address errors that do not invalidate the principal findings or conclusions.
• Expression of Concern: To alert readers to serious unresolved questions concerning the reliability or integrity of a publication.
• Retraction: When findings are unreliable or serious ethical violations substantially undermine the validity or integrity of a published article.

Notices shall clearly identify the affected publication, explain the reason for the editorial action where appropriate, and remain accessible to readers.

9. Complaints and Appeals

Authors and other stakeholders may raise concerns regarding editorial decisions, peer review procedures, or suspected ethical violations through the journal's official editorial contact channels.

Complaints and appeals shall be considered impartially, with due attention to relevant evidence, procedural fairness, confidentiality, and applicable publication ethics guidance.

10. Responsibilities of the Publisher

The publisher is responsible for supporting editorial independence, maintaining an appropriate publishing infrastructure, protecting the integrity of published content, and facilitating the investigation and resolution of publication ethics concerns.

Commercial, institutional, or other external interests must not improperly influence editorial decisions.

11. Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligence

Authors must remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and scholarly validity of their manuscripts, including content prepared with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools.

Generative AI tools must not be listed as authors. Substantive AI assistance in manuscript preparation should be disclosed in accordance with the journal's policies. Fabricated references, artificial data presented as authentic evidence, and misleading AI-generated content are prohibited.

Editors and reviewers must not upload confidential manuscript material to external AI services without appropriate authorization and safeguards consistent with confidentiality obligations.

12. References and Ethical Guidelines

This publication ethics statement is informed by internationally recognized guidance, including:

• Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)
• Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing
• COPE Retraction Guidelines