As part of the submission process, authors are required to check off their submission's compliance with all of the following items, and submissions may be returned to authors that do not adhere to these guidelines.
I confirm that the manuscript is original, has not been previously published in whole or in part, and is not under consideration by any other journal, research center, publisher, or academic institution.
I undertake not to submit the manuscript to any other publication outlet while it is under review by the Ijtihad Journal and until a final editorial decision has been issued.
I confirm that the manuscript complies with the journal's academic, methodological, stylistic, and bibliographic requirements, and that all sources are properly cited, with URLs provided where available.
I confirm that the manuscript is submitted in OpenOffice, Microsoft Word, or RTF format.
I confirm that the manuscript follows the journal's formatting guidelines, including font type and size, line spacing, text formatting, and the appropriate placement of tables, figures, and illustrations.
I confirm that the manuscript complies with academic integrity and research ethics standards, respects intellectual property rights, and that all necessary permissions for the use of copyrighted materials have been obtained, where applicable.
Author Guidelines
1. General Publication Policy and Guidelines
The Ijtihad Journal of Islamic and Arabic Studies welcomes original research papers, scholarly studies, book reviews, and academic translations in the fields of Islamic and Arabic Studies, in accordance with internationally recognized academic and publishing standards.
The journal adheres to the following principles and guidelines:
Originality and Innovation: Submissions must be original and offer a meaningful academic or intellectual contribution. Manuscripts must not have been previously published or be under consideration elsewhere, except for translations, which must be clearly identified and comply with applicable translation and publication rights.
Academic Independence: Articles reproduced directly from master's theses or doctoral dissertations are not accepted. However, independent scholarly chapters derived from such works may be considered, provided that their original source is disclosed and the necessary revisions are made to meet the requirements of independent publication.
Alignment with the Journal's Scope: Submissions should be consistent with the academic and intellectual objectives of the Ijtihad Center and its journal, contributing to the development of Islamic and Arabic Studies and promoting scholarly dialogue on related issues.
Intellectual and Methodological Orientation: The journal encourages research inspired by Islamic values of universal human significance, while remaining open to shared values and dialogue with secular, pluralistic, and progressive approaches. It seeks to promote critical thinking and constructive engagement with contemporary developments.
Academic Objectivity and Pluralism: The journal encourages objective and critical approaches that seek to understand the Islamic tradition from within, while benefiting from Orientalist, Arabist, and contemporary academic research, without methodological exclusion or preconceived bias.
Academic Quality: Authors must adhere to established academic standards of research methodology, language, style, and technical presentation, as outlined in the journal's Author Guidelines.
Languages of Publication: The journal accepts submissions in Arabic, English, French, Dutch, and other languages approved by the Editorial Board, provided that the language is clear, accurate, and academically appropriate.
Translation and Publication in Other Languages: The journal reserves the possibility of translating and publishing selected outstanding contributions in other languages, subject to available resources and the necessary permissions.
Copyright and Reuse: The journal reserves the right to republish or translate published materials, either independently or as part of edited volumes, in accordance with its copyright and licensing policies and while respecting authors' rights.
Authors' Responsibility: The views and opinions expressed in published works are those of their respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the journal or the Ijtihad Center.
Financial Compensation: The journal does not provide financial remuneration to authors for published contributions, as no dedicated funding is available for this purpose.
Publication Fees: The journal charges a publication fee of €150, payable only after final acceptance of the manuscript. The fee contributes to the costs of peer review, editorial work, production, printing, and digital services. Further details are available in the journal's Publication Fees Policy.
Recognition and Benefits: The journal and the Ijtihad Center seek to recognize the contributions of authors and reviewers through certificates of participation or appreciation, complimentary copies of selected publications, free membership, and opportunities to participate in conferences, workshops, and research activities, subject to available resources and programmes.
2. Types of Submissions
The journal welcomes the following categories of scholarly contributions:
2.1. Peer-Reviewed Research Articles
Research articles must meet the following requirements:
A main title and subtitle, where applicable.
The author's full name and institutional affiliation.
An abstract in Arabic and an abstract in English, each not exceeding 300 words.
Five keywords in both Arabic and English.
An introduction presenting the research problem, objectives, significance, relevant previous studies, and adopted methodology.
A structured main body addressing key concepts, theoretical frameworks, academic analysis, and scholarly discussion.
A conclusion presenting the principal findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
A complete list of references and sources.
Length: 5,000–10,000 words.
All research articles undergo an initial editorial assessment. Submissions meeting the preliminary requirements are then sent to specialist reviewers under the Double-Blind Peer Review system.
2.2. Peer-Reviewed Scholarly Book Chapters
The journal accepts scholarly chapters derived from master's theses, doctoral dissertations, and research reports, subject to the following requirements:
A main title and subtitle, where applicable.
The author's full name and institutional affiliation.
An abstract in Arabic and an abstract in English, each not exceeding 300 words.
Five keywords in both languages.
An introduction presenting the chapter's subject, research problem, objectives, significance, and methodology, together with a clear reference to the original work from which it is derived.
A statement explaining the revisions and additional contributions made to the original text and the academic rationale for publishing it as an independent chapter.
A scholarly discussion addressing key concepts, theoretical frameworks, critical analysis, and academic debate.
A conclusion presenting the main findings.
A list of references and sources.
Length: 5,000–10,000 words.
All chapters undergo an initial editorial assessment followed by Double-Blind Peer Review.
2.3. Critical Book Reviews
The journal welcomes critical reviews that provide in-depth analytical and scholarly evaluations of academic publications. Submissions must include:
A main review title and a subtitle specifying the title of the reviewed work and its author.
The reviewer's full name and institutional affiliation.
An abstract in Arabic and an abstract in English, each not exceeding 300 words.
Five keywords in both languages.
An introduction providing a brief profile of the author, an overview of their major publications and academic interests, the significance of the reviewed work, the rationale for selecting it, the research questions addressed by the review, and the methodology adopted.
An analytical discussion of the book's main ideas, concepts, and arguments.
A critical assessment of the book's content, methodology, findings, and scholarly contribution.
A conclusion presenting the main findings and critical assessments.
A list of references and sources.
A bibliographic information table containing the book's title, author, publication date, place of publication, publisher, language, number of pages, and other relevant details.
An image of the book cover and a photograph of the author, where available.
Length: 4,000–7,000 words.
Critical book reviews undergo an initial editorial assessment followed by Double-Blind Peer Review.
2.4. Descriptive Book Reviews
Descriptive reviews aim to provide a concise academic overview of scholarly books and publications. They must include:
A main review title and a subtitle specifying the book's title and author.
The reviewer's full name and institutional affiliation.
A brief introduction presenting the author, their major publications, and the significance of the reviewed work.
A summary of the book's main themes and contents, either following the sequence of its chapters or organized around its principal thematic topics.
A brief conclusion presenting the reviewer's overall impression and assessment.
A bibliographic information table containing the book's essential publication details.
An image of the book cover and a photograph of the author, where available.
Length: 1,500–2,000 words.
Descriptive book reviews are assessed internally by the Editorial Board and are not subject to external peer review.
2.5. Academic Translations
The journal accepts translations of outstanding academic articles and studies, subject to the following requirements:
The title of the translated text.
The full name of the original author, their academic position, and country.
A brief biographical note on the original author.
The full name of the translator, their academic position, institutional affiliation, and country.
An abstract in Arabic and an abstract in English, each not exceeding 300 words.
Five keywords in both languages.
Complete bibliographic information for the original text, including the author's name, title, publisher, publication details, date, and page numbers.
A list of references cited in the original text, together with any additional references used by the translator, where applicable.
Written permission from the copyright holder or original publisher, where required.
Length: 4,000–10,000 words.
Translations undergo an initial editorial assessment followed by Double-Blind Peer Review, focusing on both the scholarly value of the original text and the accuracy, linguistic quality, and stylistic consistency of the translation.
3. Submission and Peer Review Procedures
Authors must submit their manuscripts through the journal's online submission platform, following the prescribed procedures.
The Editorial Board conducts an initial assessment to verify compliance with submission requirements, relevance to the journal's scope, originality, and overall academic quality.
The Editorial Board reserves the right to reject submissions that fail to meet the preliminary requirements or fall outside the journal's scope without sending them for external review.
Submissions accepted at the initial stage are sent to specialist reviewers under the Double-Blind Peer Review system. Reviewers' identities are concealed from authors, and authors' identities are concealed from reviewers.
Authors are required to address reviewers' comments and implement the requested revisions within the period specified by the Editorial Board.
The Editorial Board retains final authority to accept or reject submissions or request further revisions.
Publication fees are payable only after the manuscript has received final acceptance.
4. Publication Ethics and Academic Integrity
The journal is committed to the principles of academic integrity and ethical scholarly publishing. Authors are therefore required to:
Submit original work and comply with established standards of academic citation and referencing.
Avoid plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, and manipulation of research data or findings.
Disclose any conflicts of interest and sources of research funding, where applicable.
Disclose the use of generative artificial intelligence tools in accordance with the journal's AI policy.
Respect intellectual property rights and obtain the necessary permissions for copyrighted materials.
Refrain from submitting the manuscript to another publication outlet while it is under consideration by the journal.
5. Referencing and Citation Guidelines
All submissions must comply with the referencing and citation standards adopted by the Ijtihad Journal, as specified in the relevant language-specific guidelines available on the journal's and the Ijtihad Center's official websites.
Referencing Guidelines for Arabic Research Papers:
Authors are required to consult the Author Guidelines and ensure that their submissions meet all applicable requirements before submission.
Important Notice
The journal does not accept submissions that fail to meet its publication requirements and referencing standards. Compliance with the formal submission requirements does not guarantee acceptance, as the final publication decision remains subject to academic evaluation, peer review, and the Editorial Board's decision.
Copyright Notice
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
