Notice: These guidelines and publication policies, updated as of January 2026, are effective for all new submissions as of this date.
GENERAL PUBLICATION PRINCIPLES
I. Fundamental Principles and Scope
1. Journal of Islamic Law Studies aims to contribute to international literature by accepting scientific works that cover all theoretical, practical, and contemporary issues of Islamic law from a global perspective.
2. All submitted works must align with the journal's aims and scope, possess high academic quality, and adhere to ethical standards. Our journal primarily encourages the participation of international authors and studies from diverse legal traditions (madhhabs and legal geographies) to enhance geographical diversity.
3. The journal accepts submissions prepared in Turkish, Arabic, and English. An author may publish a maximum of one manuscript per calendar year, regardless of whether they are the first author or a co-author. A second submission by an author who already has a manuscript published or currently under review within the same year will not be considered for evaluation.
4. At least one of the authors of the submitted articles must hold a doctoral degree. In studies derived from postgraduate theses, authorship and author order are determined in accordance with academic ethical principles based on the actual contribution provided to the study.
5. Only original works that have not been previously published or are under evaluation elsewhere are accepted. Works derived from postgraduate theses, scientific meeting presentations, and similar academic activities may be considered for evaluation, provided that this status is explicitly stated as an ethical disclosure on the first page of the article.
6. Manuscripts must be submitted electronically via the journal's official website. Texts must be prepared in accordance with the journal's current author guidelines and template. [Click here for the Author Guidelines page.]
II. Publication Model and Calendar
7. As of January 2026, our journal has adopted the "Continuous Publication Model". Each study that successfully completes the peer-review process is published immediately in digital format with an assigned Article ID, without waiting for the completion of the full issue. This publication constitutes the final version (Version of Record) of the article; DOI assignment and metadata transmission are processed simultaneously.
8. Articles published online with finalized citation information are compiled and printed twice a year in June and December. Print copies are fully identical to the digital versions in terms of content and pagination structure.
9. To enhance international visibility, an annual Special Issue is published with the primary theme of “Contemporary Jurisprudential (Fiqh) Issues and Proposed Solutions”, written entirely in English and presented exclusively online.. These special issues are subject to the same scientific quality standards, ethical principles, and independent double-blind peer-review processes as the regular issues. The management of special issues is conducted by the current editorial board; however, guest editors or experts competent in the relevant field may be involved in the process, provided they fulfill the obligation to comply fully with the journal's publication policies and ethical standards.
III. Evaluation Process and Transparency
10. Submitted manuscripts are evaluated by an editorial board with institutional and international diversity based on originality, methodology, the significance of the subject, and compatibility with the journal's scope. Works that do not comply with formal requirements or journal policies may be rejected without entering the peer-review process.
11. Manuscripts that pass the preliminary review are subjected to a double-blind peer-review process, involving at least two independent/external reviewers, preferably from different geographical regions, in accordance with academic autonomy and impartiality. Reviewers are appointed from among independent experts who have no institutional affiliation with the author and no personal or professional conflict of interest that would compromise academic impartiality.
12. Revisions requested by the reviewers are carried out by the author. The Editorial Board makes the final publication decision based on the reviewer reports and scientific merit. [Click here for detailed information on the Evaluation Process.]
13. The journal management guarantees full independence between the editorial processes and the publisher (foundation). The publishing institution cannot interfere with scientific publication decisions. Maintaining this autonomous structure for authors and reviewers and conducting all processes according to the principles of academic impartiality is the journal's fundamental commitment.
IV. Ethical Principles and Similarity Screening
14. The journal considers plagiarism, redundant publication, ghost/denied authorship, research/data fabrication, salami-slicing, copyright infringement, and concealment of conflict of interest as unethical behaviors and maintains a zero-tolerance policy.
15. All submissions are screened using plagiarism detection software. However, the numerical data (percentage) resulting from the software is not considered a sufficient criterion on its own. Each study is meticulously examined by the editorial board regarding the compliance of the data in the report with academic citation and quotation rules, as well as the scientific originality of the text. The publication process of works found to be in violation of academic integrity and ethical standards shall be terminated, regardless of the stage of the process.
16. In research requiring ethics committee approval, it is mandatory that the relevant approval has been obtained and that the details (committee name, date, and issue number) are stated on the first page and in the methodology section of the study. The ethics committee approval document must be uploaded to the system as a supplementary file during submission.
17. For all submissions to our journal, it is mandatory for the "Copyright and Author Declaration Form" to be signed by all authors and uploaded to the system. This form is a comprehensive legal and ethical document that guarantees the originality of the work, the substantial contribution of all authors (CRediT – Contributor Roles Taxonomy), conflict of interest disclosure, artificial intelligence usage information, and data availability commitment. After a manuscript is submitted to the journal, no author's name may be deleted from the list, no new name may be added, and the author order may not be changed without the written permission of all current authors.
18. Our journal adopts the principle of transparency regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in scientific studies. AI tools cannot be listed as an "author" in the manuscript, and all ethical responsibility regarding the use of these tools rests with the human authors. Authors are obligated to declare the tools used and the scope of their use (text generation, image creation, data analysis, etc.) in the "Copyright and Author Declaration Form".
V. Publication History, Open Access, and Copyright Policy
19. The journal has been published continuously in both print and online formats since its first issue. Until 2022, online publications were archived only as full issues (integrated PDF) via www.islamhukuku.com. As of 2022, in line with our institutional transformation and digitalization vision, all publication processes transitioned to the DergiPark system, and open access standards have been implemented. For institutional continuity and scientific accessibility, all issues prior to 2022 have been retroactively digitized on an article basis and published via the DergiPark archive. As of January 2026, the journal has further advanced its publication speed and international traceability by adopting a "Continuous Publication Model" based on the Article ID system.
20. To ensure the traceability and data quality of published articles in international indexes, all bibliographies must comply with the ISNAD Citation Style (2nd Edition). In the continuous publication model, the Article ID replaces the traditional starting page number and shall be cited accordingly in the reference metadata. [Click here for the ISNAD Citation Style.]
21. The journal follows a Diamond Open Access model. All expenses of the journal are covered by the Publisher. No fees are charged to authors or institutions at any stage of the submission, evaluation, or publication processes.
22. The journal is open access. All content is provided free of charge via DergiPark. Additionally, print copies are distributed free of charge. [Click here for the Open Access Policy page.]
23. All works are published under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). Authors retain the copyright of their published works without any restrictions and grant the Publisher a non-exclusive license to publish the work. Authors agree to indemnify and hold the Publisher and Editors harmless from any legal claims or lawsuits arising from the content or copyright infringements; all legal liability rests solely with the author(s). [Click here for the Copyright and Licensing page.]
24. DOI assignment is provided for permanent access to articles, and all content is digitally archived via the LOCKSS system. [Click here for the Archiving Policy page.]
PUBLICATION ETHICS STATEMENT
I. Fundamental Principles and Vision
The publication processes of the Journal of Islamic Law Studies are based on the unbiased production, development, and sharing of knowledge through scientific methods. Peer-reviewed articles are essential studies that ensure the implementation of this process and maintain impartiality. All components of the publication process—including the publisher, editors, authors, reviewers, and readers—are required to adhere to ethical principles. In this context, the journal’s publication ethics and open access policy require all stakeholders to adhere to ethical principles in accordance with the guidelines and policies of COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics), as well as the YÖK (Council of Higher Education) and university ethics guidelines.
II. Actions Contrary to Scientific Research and Publication Ethics
The journal adopts the principles of integrity and transparency in scientific research. In this context, severe ethical violations such as plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, and redundant publication are categorized as "Scientific Misconduct." For the detailed scope and definitions of these actions and all other ethical violations (salami-slicing, guest authorship, etc.), the following current national regulations are taken as a basis:
Higher Education Institutions Scientific Research and Publication Ethics Directive
TÜBİTAK Research and Publication Ethics Committee Regulation
Allegations of ethical misconduct are subjected to an independent preliminary investigation by the journal's Ethics Editor, in accordance with the principles of impartiality and transparency.
III. AI and Generative Technology Usage Policy
Journal of Islamic Law Studies places human genius and accountability at the heart of academic production. Our ethical boundaries regarding the use of AI (Gemini, ChatGPT, etc.) and generative technologies are as follows:
a. Authorship and Citation: AI systems cannot be recognized as "authors" of a study and cannot be cited as such. Authorship is reserved for humans who can provide intellectual contribution, assume legal responsibility, and declare conflicts of interest.
b. Responsibility of Author(s) and Accuracy: AI tools carry the risk of fabricating references, generating false data, or distorting scientific reality. The author(s) are responsible for verifying the accuracy of any AI-generated output (translation, summary, data analysis, etc.) and ensuring its compliance with the Isnad Citation System.
c. Intellectual Property and Plagiarism: The use of AI does not waive the prohibition of plagiarism. All responsibility regarding the originality and copyrights of texts produced via these tools rests with the author(s).
d. Scope of Declaration: Author(s) are required to explain in detail which stage of the study (language editing, data analysis, etc.) and which AI tool they utilized through the "Copyright and Author Declaration Form".
IV. Research Ethics and Ethics Committee Approval
Within the framework of ethical rules, Ethics Committee Approval is mandatory for the following types of research:
a. All types of qualitative or quantitative research conducted with participants requiring data collection via surveys, interviews, focus groups, observations, or experimental techniques.
b. The use of humans and animals (including materials/data) for experimental or other scientific purposes.
c. Clinical trials on humans and studies conducted on animals.
d. Retrospective studies conducted in accordance with the Law on the Protection of Personal Data.
Approval details (committee name, date, and reference number) must be stated in the methodology section and on the first/last page of the article. The ethics committee approval document must be uploaded to the system as a supplementary file during submission. In case reports, it is mandatory to include information stating that the Informed Consent Form has been obtained.
V. Ethical Violation Action Plan and Sanctions
In cases of suspected scientific misconduct -such as plagiarism, data manipulation, falsification, or the use of fabricated data- the following action plan is implemented in accordance with COPE standards and the ethical guidelines of YÖK (Council of Higher Education) and university ethics committees:
a. Investigation and Defense: In case of suspected misconduct, the process is initiated by the Ethics Editor. The Ethics Editor investigates the matter independently, based on COPE guidelines, YÖK regulations, and relevant national legislation. The author(s) are contacted to provide a formal explanation within 2 (two) weeks. The resulting investigation report is then submitted to the Editorial Board for a final decision.
b. Evaluation: If the explanation provided by the author(s) is deemed insufficient or if the ethical violation is confirmed, the manuscript is rejected; if already published, it is retracted.
c. Institutional Notification: Depending on the nature of the violation, the journal reserves the right to formally notify the university or institution to which the author(s) are affiliated.
d. Digital Marking: For published studies found to contain plagiarism or fabrication, the PDF file is not deleted to maintain the transparency of the registered scientific record. However, a permanent "RETRACTED" watermark is added to the PDF, which remains accessible. The title is updated as "Retracted: [Type of Violation]", and a formal "Retraction Note" explaining the reasons for the retraction is published at the beginning of the article.
e. Restriction: The author(s) whose ethical violation is confirmed shall have all future manuscript submissions to the journal rejected and excluded from the evaluation process for a period of 3 years.
VI. Post-Publication Record Updates
The journal operates the following mechanisms to ensure the integrity of the registered scientific literature:
a. Correction: Published to rectify minor errors identified after the final publication (Version of Record) that do not affect the scientific findings, including author-originated errors (Corrigendum) or publisher-originated (journal) errors (Erratum).
b. Retraction: Executed in cases of severe violations that invalidate the reliability of the findings; the article is marked with a transparent retraction notice in the archive.
c. Expression of Concern: Published by editorial decision to inform readers during ongoing serious investigation processes.
VII. Responsibilities of Stakeholders
Journal of Islamic Law Studies expects all stakeholders involved in the publication process to fully comply with COPE standards, as well as the ethical principles established by the YÖK (Council of Higher Education) and university ethics committees. Suspicions of ethical violations may be reported to publisher@mehir.org.
1. Responsibilities of Editors
a. Impartiality and Publication Decision: Editors evaluate submitted works based on originality, methodological validity, and suitability for the journal's scope. Non-merit-based demographic characteristics or political views of the authors are not considered during the decision-making process.
b. Independence: Editorial decisions are fully independent of the publisher and all external institutions.
c. Confidentiality: The content of the manuscripts under evaluation and the identities of the reviewers are kept strictly confidential.
d. Conflict of Interest: Editors shall not have any conflict of interest regarding the works they evaluate. If such a situation is identified, they must withdraw from the process.
2. Responsibilities of Authors
a. Originality and Reporting: Authors are obligated to submit entirely original works and cite others' works appropriately. Furthermore, authors are required to provide a "Data Availability Statement" within the manuscript regarding the access to data/sources supporting the findings and must share this data upon reasonable request, within the limits of confidentiality, ethics, and legal constraints (anonymizing where necessary).
b. Authorship Criteria: Only those who have made significant intellectual contributions should be listed as authors. Author contribution roles must be declared in accordance with CRediT standards as specified in the form. All authors must have approved the final version.
c. Disclosure and Conflict of Interest: All financial support, grant numbers, and personal/institutional conflicts of interest must be disclosed at the earliest stage.
d. Reporting of Errors: Authors who detect a significant error in their published work are obliged to immediately notify the editor for the correction or retraction process.
e. Ethical Declaration Requirement: Authors declare and undertake through the "Copyright and Author Declaration Form" that they assume full ethical responsibility for their work and have obtained all necessary permissions for any third-party content used in the study. Failure to submit this form shall prevent the manuscript from entering the preliminary evaluation process.
3. Responsibilities of Reviewers
a. Objectivity and Tone: Evaluations must be conducted with an impartial and constructive tone. Personal criticism toward authors is considered unethical.
b. Confidentiality: Manuscripts sent to reviewers are confidential; they cannot be shared with others or used for the reviewer’s own interests.
c. Timeliness and Competence: Reviewers who anticipate that they cannot conduct the review due to a conflict of expertise or time constraints must notify the editorial board without delay.
d. Ethical Alert: Reviewers must report significant similarities (suspected plagiarism) between the manuscript under review and any other publication, or any other ethical concerns, to the editor.
