Publication Ethics

Jurnal Ulumul Qur'an: Jurnal Kajian Ilmu Al-Qur’an dan Tafsir is a rigorous peer-reviewed academic journal published by STIU Darul Qur'an. We publish comprehensive research covering Qur’anic studies, tafsir, 'ulum al-Qur'an, living Qur'an traditions, and related Islamic scholarship.

This policy establishes the ethical framework and operational standards expected of all stakeholders—authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher. It is designed to safeguard academic integrity, accountability, and transparency throughout the scholarly publishing lifecycle. Our guidelines strictly align with the global standards set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), the Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association (OASPA), and the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME). These international frameworks serve as foundational references tailored to fit our specific disciplinary focus and editorial procedures.

2. Editorial Autonomy and Decision-Making

All publication decisions are made exclusively by the Editor-in-Chief alongside the editorial board, evaluated purely on academic merit, methodological rigor, originality, and the outcomes of peer review. STIU Darul Qur'an, as the publisher, fully supports the journal's academic vision but holds no influence over the acceptance or rejection of individual manuscripts. Decisions are strictly insulated from institutional pressure, financial considerations, or the personal backgrounds of the authors.

3. Author Obligations

Authors are required to submit entirely original work that is not under consideration by any other publisher. By submitting a manuscript, authors guarantee that all listed contributors have authorized the submission and that all sources, data, and referenced materials are accurately cited. Authors must present their methodologies and findings transparently, without fabricating data or manipulating citations. Furthermore, any conflicts of interest, funding sources, or the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) must be explicitly disclosed. Authors must also cooperate promptly with the editorial team to correct errors discovered during or after the review process.

4. Authorship Criteria and Contributions

Authorship is exclusively reserved for individuals who have made substantial intellectual contributions to the research—such as conceptualizing the study, analyzing textual sources, or drafting the manuscript. Individuals who provided purely administrative, financial, or technical support should be recognized in the acknowledgments section rather than as co-authors. The corresponding author bears the responsibility of ensuring the author list is accurate, comprehensive, and mutually agreed upon by all parties prior to submission.

5. Plagiarism Prevention and Citation Integrity

Jurnal Ulumul Qur'an enforces a strict zero-tolerance policy against plagiarism. Authors must properly attribute all ideas, translations, arguments, and data to their original sources. Unattributed paraphrasing, self-plagiarism, and citation manipulation are strictly prohibited. The editorial team utilizes plagiarism detection software to evaluate all submissions; manuscripts exhibiting unethical overlap will be returned, rejected, or subjected to formal investigation.

6. Ethical Standards for Religious, Cultural, and Human Subject Research

When research involves living communities, ethnographic fieldwork, or institutional observation (such as in pesantren), authors must prioritize participant dignity, secure informed consent, and ensure anonymity where necessary. Given the journal’s focus on Qur’anic and tafsir studies, scholars are expected to handle sacred texts, rare manuscripts, and oral traditions with profound cultural sensitivity and academic precision. Authors must verify the provenance of their sources and avoid any misrepresentation of religious or community practices.

7. Data Transparency and Material Accessibility

Whenever legally and ethically feasible, authors are encouraged to share their primary research materials, including datasets, interview transcripts, and archival notes. If data sharing violates privacy norms, cultural sensitivities, or legal agreements, authors must provide a clear justification within the manuscript. Authors must also explicitly state whether translations of primary Arabic texts or manuscripts are their own or derived from existing scholarship.

8. Policy on Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools

Generative AI technologies may be utilized to assist with language refinement, formatting, and grammar correction. However, AI cannot be listed as an author, as it cannot take ethical responsibility for scholarly work. Authors are strictly prohibited from using AI to generate fabricated references, formulate primary arguments, or synthesize Qur'anic interpretations. Any substantive use of AI must be transparently disclosed in the manuscript (e.g., "During preparation, the author(s) utilized [Tool Name] for [Specific Task]. The author(s) take full responsibility for the final content.").

9. Reviewer Commitments

Peer reviewers are essential to preserving the journal's scholarly quality. Reviewers are expected to provide objective, constructive, and timely feedback while maintaining the strict confidentiality of the manuscript. Personal criticism of the author is unacceptable. Reviewers must decline invitations if they lack the required expertise or face a potential conflict of interest. Any suspicion of plagiarism or ethical misconduct should be reported directly to the handling editor.

10. Editor Obligations

Editors must evaluate all submissions impartially, ensuring that decisions are based solely on the manuscript's relevance and academic quality. Editors are tasked with assigning appropriate peer reviewers, safeguarding the confidentiality of the double-blind process, and addressing any ethical grievances promptly. Unpublished materials submitted to the journal must never be used for an editor’s personal research advantage.

11. Peer Review Process

Jurnal Ulumul Qur'an employs a rigorous double-blind peer-review system. Following an initial editorial screening for scope and basic quality, manuscripts are evaluated by independent experts. Editorial decisions—which may range from rejection and major/minor revisions to full acceptance—are guided by these external reviews. A request to revise a manuscript does not serve as a guarantee of eventual publication.

12. Declaration of Conflicts of Interest

A conflict of interest arises when personal, financial, or institutional relationships could compromise objective academic judgment. All parties—authors, reviewers, and editors—must transparently declare any such conflicts. The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for determining the appropriate course of action when a conflict is disclosed, which may include reassigning the manuscript to a different reviewer or editor.

13. Handling Appeals and Grievances

Readers, authors, and reviewers may submit formal complaints regarding the editorial process, publication ethics, or factual errors to the editorial office at [Email Jurnal Anda]. Appeals regarding rejected manuscripts will only be considered if they highlight a specific procedural flaw, factual error, or conflict of interest; disputes based solely on academic disagreement with the reviewers will not be entertained.

14. Investigating Ethical Misconduct

Allegations of misconduct—including data fabrication, duplicate submission, and peer-review manipulation—are treated with the utmost seriousness. The editorial board will conduct confidential investigations into credible claims. Based on the findings, the journal may request corrections, issue expressions of concern, or formally retract the publication.

15. Post-Publication Modifications and Retractions

To maintain a reliable academic record, the journal provides mechanisms for post-publication updates:

Minor Updates: Formatting or typographical corrections that do not alter the scholarly meaning.
Formal Corrections: Issued for significant errors (e.g., citation mistakes or translation errors) without invalidating the core findings.
Addenda: Published to contextualize or clarify methodology without contradicting the original work.
Expressions of Concern: Issued when serious ethical questions arise, pending a full investigation.
Retractions: Reserved for severely flawed or unethical publications (e.g., confirmed plagiarism or data fabrication). Retracted articles remain accessible but are clearly marked to maintain academic transparency.

16. Publisher’s Role and Digital Transparency

STIU Darul Qur'an guarantees the editorial independence. of Jurnal Ulumul Qur'an and manages the journal’s digital infrastructure. The publisher is committed to maintaining open-access availability, robust archiving, and a transparent website that clearly outlines submission guidelines, publication fees (if any), and ethical policies.

17. Policy Inquiries and Updates

This Publication Ethics policy is subject to regular review by the editorial team to ensure alignment with evolving technological and academic standards.