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Author Guidelines

FOCUS AND SCOPE

FOCUS

Al-Muhafidz: Jurnal Ilmu Al-Qur’an dan Tafsir aims to advance high-quality scholarly research on the Qur’an and its interpretations by providing an academic platform for classical, modern, and contemporary Qur’anic studies. The journal seeks to promote rigorous and innovative research that examines the dynamic relationship between Qur’anic texts, exegetical traditions, and lived Muslim experiences across diverse social, cultural, educational, and intellectual contexts.

The journal encourages interdisciplinary and methodological engagement that contributes to the development of Qur’anic and tafsir studies, while fostering international scholarly dialogue and critical reflection on the role of the Qur’an in contemporary Muslim life.

 

SCOPE

The journal welcomes original research articles in, but not limited to, the following areas:

  • Studies of the Qur’an and Tafsir
  • Living Qur’an and lived interpretations of the Qur’an in Muslim societies
  • Ulumul Qur’an
  • History of tafsir and exegetical traditions
  • Qur’anic hermeneutics and interpretive methodologies
  • Thematic (maudhu‘i) studies of the Qur’an
  • Linguistic and semantic studies of the Qur’an
  • Integrative and interdisciplinary studies of the Qur’an and Tafsir, including perspectives from psychology, education, social sciences, culture, and related fields

All submitted manuscripts must be original, unpublished, and not under consideration by other journals.

These guidelines are designed to assist authors in understanding the writing standards, article structure, and technical requirements prior to submission. Authors are strongly encouraged to read this document carefully to ensure a smooth and efficient editorial process.

1. Types of Manuscripts

The journal accepts several types of scholarly manuscripts relevant to its focus and scope:

  • Original Research Article (IMRAD)
    Empirical research articles presenting original findings. These must follow the IMRAD structure (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion). Suitable for qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods, experimental, or field-based studies.
  • Review Article (Systematic/Narrative)
    Comprehensive literature reviews using systematic or narrative approaches, including critical analysis of existing scholarship.
  • Conceptual Article
    Articles that develop theoretical frameworks, propose new models, or critically examine existing concepts.
  • Case Study
    In-depth analytical studies focusing on specific phenomena, communities, institutions, or events.

All manuscripts must follow the journal’s official manuscript template.

2. Language and Length

To reach an international audience, the journal accepts manuscripts in:

  • English (strongly recommended)
  • Arabic
  • Indonesian

Manuscripts should be 5,000–8,000 words, including references.

3. Formatting Requirements

To ensure consistency, authors must follow these formatting rules:

  • Font: Cambria, 12 pt
  • Line spacing: single
  • Arabic text: Traditional Arabic, 16 pt
  • Transliteration: follow the Al-Muhafidz Transliteration Guidelines
  • Margins: 2.54 cm on all sides
  • All pages must be numbered
  • Tables and figures should be placed near relevant text

Manuscripts that do not meet these requirements may be returned prior to review.

4. Manuscript Structure (IMRAD Format)

Title Page

Must include:

  • Title (maximum 20 words)
  • Full author names (without academic titles)
  • Institutional affiliation (Department–Faculty–University–City–Country)
  • Active email address
  • ORCID ID
  • Corresponding author marked with (*)

Abstract

  • 150–250 words, single paragraph, no citations
  • Must include: background, objective, method, main findings, and conclusion

Keywords

  • 3–5 relevant keywords separated by commas

5. Main Sections of the Article

Introduction

Explains the research background, problem, urgency, and research gap. Must clearly state:

  • Research objectives
  • Research questions
  • Hypothesis (if applicable)
  • Contribution of the study

Literature Review

Provides theoretical framework and critical synthesis of previous studies. Authors are encouraged to apply a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach by explaining:

  • Databases used
  • Search keywords
  • Inclusion/exclusion criteria
  • Publication period
  • Number of analyzed articles
  • Synthesis method

Method

Clearly describes:

  • Research design
  • Data sources
  • Participants/sample
  • Instruments
  • Data collection procedures
  • Data analysis techniques
  • Ethical considerations

Results

Presents findings objectively without interpretation. Data may be presented using tables, graphs, or figures.

Discussion

Interprets findings and explains their significance, including:

  • Comparison with previous studies
  • Theoretical and practical implications
  • Explanation of key findings

Conclusion

Summarizes key findings and includes:

  • Implications
  • Limitations
  • Recommendations for future research

6. Additional Statements

Author Contributions (CRediT Taxonomy)

The journal adopts the CRediT Taxonomy to ensure transparency. Each author’s role must be clearly stated using initials in one paragraph.

Example:
IRH contributed to conceptualization, methodology, and writing—original draft. AN contributed to data analysis. MF contributed to supervision and editing.

Funding

State funding sources (if any).

Conflict of Interest

Declare any conflicts of interest.

Ethical Statement

Required if research involves human participants or sensitive data.

Acknowledgements (Optional)

Optional recognition of contributors, including AI usage if applicable.

7. Figures and Tables

  • No vertical lines in tables
  • Table titles placed above tables
  • Figure captions placed below figures
  • Format: TIFF/PNG
  • Minimum resolution: 300 dpi
  • All figures and tables must be cited in the text

8. Citation and Reference Style

The journal uses:
Chicago Manual of Style, 18th Edition (Full Note, without Ibid)

Requirements:

  • Minimum 25 references
  • At least 60% from journal articles (last 10 years)
  • DOI or URL must be included when available

Reference managers (Zotero, Mendeley, EndNote) are strongly recommended.

9. Ethical and Integrity Policies

Authors must ensure:

  • Ethical approval (if applicable)
  • Informed consent
  • Similarity index 25%
  • Originality statement
  • Conflict of interest disclosure

Plagiarism, data fabrication, duplication, and citation manipulation are strictly prohibited.

10. Submission Checklist

Before submission, ensure:

☑ Manuscript follows journal template
☑ ORCID ID is provided
☑ Structure matches article type
☑ Chicago 18th citation style applied
☑ Figures meet 300 dpi requirement
☑ Language has been proofread
☑ Author metadata is complete

11. Final Note

Manuscripts that do not comply with these guidelines may be returned before peer review. Adherence to these guidelines will accelerate the editorial process and increase the likelihood of acceptance.

Submission Preparation Checklist

All submissions must comply with the following requirements:

  • The manuscript has not been previously published, nor is it under consideration by another journal. If applicable, a clear explanation must be provided in the Comments to the Editor.
  • The submission file must be in OpenOffice, Microsoft Word, or RTF document format.
  • Where available, all references must include valid URLs or DOIs to ensure accessibility and verification.
  • The manuscript must be formatted in single spacing, using a 12-point standard font. Italics should be used instead of underlining (except for URLs). All figures, tables, and illustrations must be embedded within the text at appropriate locations, not placed at the end of the document.
  • The manuscript must strictly adhere to the stylistic, structural, and bibliographic requirements outlined in the Author Guidelines.
  • Authors must complete and include a Conflict of Interest statement, clearly declaring any potential conflicts or stating that none exist.
  • Authors must also submit a Declaration of Willingness to Revise, confirming their commitment to follow the entire editorial and peer-review process, including making all required revisions until the article is accepted and published.

Articles

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Copyright Notice

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 acknowledgement 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 acknowledgement 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.

Privacy Statement

The names and email addresses entered in this journal site will be used exclusively for the stated purposes of this journal and will not be made available for any other purpose or to any other party.