Ethical Guidelines for Journal Publication

The dissemination of research through articles published in peer-reviewed journals, such as the Journal of Living Fiqh, is essential for the establishment of a coherent and esteemed knowledge network. Such publications serve as a direct indicator of the quality of the authors' contributions and the institutions that support them. Peer-reviewed articles are fundamental to the scientific method, thereby necessitating the establishment of ethical standards for all stakeholders involved in the publishing process, including authors, journal editors, peer reviewers, publishers, and the broader community.

The JAGMAN Institute, as the publisher of the Journal of Living Fiqh, recognizes its significant role as a steward of the publication process and acknowledges its ethical obligations. The Institute is dedicated to ensuring that commercial interests, such as advertising and reprints, do not influence editorial decisions.

By submitting manuscripts, authors affirm that their work has not been previously published in any language, in whole or in part, and is not currently under consideration for publication elsewhere. The editors, authors, and reviewers associated with the Journal of Living Fiqh are fully committed to adhering to sound publication practices and accept the responsibilities delineated in the COPE Code of Conduct for Journal Editors. COPE also provides guidelines on Core Practices, which can be accessed at http://publicationethics.org/resources/guidelines.

Publication Decisions

The editor of the Journal of Living Fiqh holds the responsibility of determining which submitted manuscripts warrant publication. This decision must be consistently informed by the validity of the work and its relevance to both researchers and readers. Editors are expected to consult the policies established by the journal's editorial board and to comply with legal stipulations concerning libel, copyright infringement, and plagiarism. Additionally, editors may seek the counsel of fellow editors or reviewers during the decision-making process.

Fair Play

Editors are required to assess manuscripts solely based on their intellectual merit, without consideration of the authors’ race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ethnic background, citizenship, or political ideology.

Editors and editorial staff are obligated to maintain the confidentiality of any information pertaining to a submitted manuscript, disclosing it only to the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisors, and the publisher as necessary.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Editors should not use unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript for their own research without the express written consent of the author.

Duties of Reviewers

Contribution to Editorial Decisions

Peer review assists the editor in making editorial decisions and may also help authors improve their papers through editorial communications.

Promptness

Reviewers who feel unqualified to review a manuscript or are unable to complete the review promptly should inform the editor and excuse themselves from the review process.

Confidentiality

Manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents and should not be shared or discussed with others except as authorized by the editor.

Standards of Objectivity

Reviews should be conducted objectively, and personal criticism of the author is inappropriate. Referees should express their views clearly, supported by arguments.

Acknowledgment of Sources

Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors. Any statement that an observation, derivation, or argument has been previously reported should be accompanied by the relevant citation. Reviewers should also alert the editor to any substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript under consideration and any other published paper of which they have personal knowledge.

Disclosure and Conflict of Interest

Reviewers must keep privileged information obtained through peer review confidential and must not use it for personal advantage. Reviewers should not evaluate manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest due to competitive, collaborative, or other relationships or connections with any of the authors, companies, or institutions connected to the papers.

Duties of Authors

Reporting Standards

Authors of original research reports should provide an accurate account of their work and an objective discussion of its significance. Underlying data should be accurately represented in the paper, and the paper should include sufficient detail and references to enable replication of the work. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements are unethical and unacceptable.

Originality and Plagiarism

Authors should ensure that they have written entirely original works and properly cite or quote the work or words of others when used.

Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication

Authors should not generally publish manuscripts describing essentially the same research in more than one journal or primary publication. Simultaneous submission of the same manuscript to multiple journals is unethical and unacceptable.

Acknowledgment of Sources

Authors must appropriately acknowledge the work of others and cite publications that have significantly influenced their work.

Authorship of the Paper

Authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported study. All significant contributors should be listed as co-authors. Those who have participated in specific substantive aspects of the research project should be acknowledged or listed as contributors. The corresponding author should ensure that all appropriate co-authors are included on the paper, with no inappropriate co-authors, and that all co-authors have reviewed and approved the final version of the paper and have agreed to its submission for publication.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Authors should disclose any financial or other substantive conflicts of interest that might be seen as influencing the results or interpretation of their manuscript. All sources of financial support for the project should be disclosed.

Fundamental Errors in Published Works

If an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in their published work, they have an obligation to promptly notify the journal editor or publisher and cooperate in retracting or correcting the paper.