Publication Ethics
Ethical Guidelines for Journal Publication
The publication of an article in Al Qadr: Journal of Qur’anic Science (AQS) is a fundamental contribution to the development of a coherent and respected body of knowledge. It reflects the quality of the authors’ work and the integrity of the institutions supporting them. Therefore, Al Qadr upholds high ethical standards and adopts guidelines aligned with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) to ensure responsible behavior from all parties involved: authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher.
The Department of Qur’anic and Tafsir Studies as the publisher of Al Qadr takes its duties seriously and is committed to ensuring that editorial decisions are not influenced by commercial or institutional interests. Advertising or reprint revenues have no impact on editorial decisions.
Duties of Editors
Publication Decisions. Editors are responsible for deciding which manuscripts submitted to Al-Qadr should be published based on their academic merit, originality, clarity, and relevance to the journal’s scope. They may be guided by editorial board policies and legal requirements concerning defamation, copyright, and plagiarism.
Fair Play. Editors evaluate manuscripts based solely on their intellectual content, without discrimination based on the author’s race, gender, religion, ethnicity, political views, or institutional affiliation.
Confidentiality. Editors and editorial staff must not disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, and the publisher.
Conflicts of Interest. Editors must not use unpublished materials disclosed in submitted manuscripts for their own research without the author’s explicit written consent.
Duties of Reviewers
Contribution to Editorial Decisions. Peer review assists editors in making informed editorial decisions and helps authors improve their manuscripts through constructive feedback.
Promptness. Reviewers who feel unqualified to review a manuscript or unable to complete it promptly should inform the editor and withdraw from the review process.
Confidentiality. Manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential and not shared or discussed with others except as authorized by the editor.
Objectivity. Reviews must be conducted objectively. Personal criticism of authors is inappropriate. Comments should be expressed clearly and supported by arguments.
Acknowledgment of Sources. Reviewers should identify relevant work not cited by the authors and alert editors to any substantial similarity or overlap with other publications known to them.
Conflicts of Interest. Reviewers must not evaluate manuscripts where they have conflicts of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with any of the authors or institutions connected to the paper.
Duties of Authors
Reporting Standards. Authors must present accurate and objective accounts of their research and its significance. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements constitute unethical behavior.
Originality and Plagiarism. Authors must ensure that their work is original and that proper citation or quotation is provided when the work or words of others are used. All manuscripts are subject to plagiarism screening prior to publication.
Multiple or Redundant Publication. Authors should not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal concurrently or publish redundant research describing the same results.
Acknowledgment of Sources. Authors must properly acknowledge the work of others and cite all publications that have influenced their research.
Authorship of the Paper. Authorship should be limited to those who have made significant contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study. All co-authors must approve the final version of the paper.
Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest. Authors must disclose any financial or other conflicts of interest that could influence the results or interpretation of their work.
Fundamental Errors in Published Works. If an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in their published work, they must immediately notify the editor or publisher and cooperate to correct or retract the article.
Duties of the Publisher
The publisher is responsible for safeguarding the integrity of the academic record, supporting editorial independence, and ensuring ethical oversight. In cases of alleged research misconduct, falsification, or plagiarism, the publisher will work closely with editors and follow COPE guidelines in resolving issues.
