Editorial Policies

Focus and Scope

Al-Albab is a peer-reviewed journal that offers a platform for scholars and researchers to exchange ideas and present research on a broad range of topics related to religious studies in both local and global contexts. The journal aims to disseminate original research while addressing contemporary issues within the field. Scholars from any country or region with an interest in religious studies and their manifestations in human life are encouraged to submit their articles and take advantage of this open-access platform. The journal places a strong emphasis on novelty and the relevance of current issues in the topics it publishes. Al-Albab welcomes submissions that adopt a multidisciplinary approach, including, but not limited to, Islamic studies, Catholic studies, Christian studies, Hindu studies, Buddhist studies, Jewish studies, local tradition studies, Chinese religion studies, and other relevant areas of religious studies.

 

Section Policies

Articles

Editors
  • Faizal Amin
  • Zaenuddin Prasojo
Checked Open Submissions Checked Indexed Checked Peer Reviewed

Book Review

Editors
  • Faizal Amin
  • Zaenuddin Prasojo
Checked Open Submissions Unchecked Indexed Unchecked Peer Reviewed
 

Peer Review Process

The Editor-in-Chief will assign the manuscript to the Managing Editor for further handling. The Managing Editor will request at least two scientists to review the research article manuscript. All manuscripts are subject to double-blind peer review, where both the reviewer's and author’s identities are concealed from each other, ensuring adherence to the academic standards. All papers undergo thorough peer review. We only publish articles that have received approval from qualified researchers with expertise in the relevant field, with a minimum of two reviewers per article. The Al-Albab upholds the standards of double-blind peer review while streamlining the process. Key characteristics of the peer review process for all research articles published in the journal are outlined below:

  1. The Al-Albab employs a two-stage process: After the technical check, your submission will undergo an initial review by the editorial team to assess its suitability for publication in the journal. If deemed suitable, it will then be assigned to one of the editors for the review and decision-making process.
  2. If your manuscript aligns with the scope and meets the criteria of the Al-Albab, your paper will be assigned to an Editor. The Editor will identify and contact two reviewers who are recognized experts in the field. Since peer review is a voluntary service, it may take some time, but please be assured that the Editor will regularly remind reviewers to ensure timely responses. During this stage, the status will be labeled as “Under Review.”
  3. Once the Editor has received the minimum number of expert reviews, the status will change to “Required Reviews Complete.”
  4. It is also possible that the Editor may determine that your manuscript does not meet the journal’s criteria or scope and should not be considered further. In such cases, the Editor will promptly inform you that the manuscript has been rejected and may recommend a more suitable journal.

Peer review of referred papers:

Editors of the Al-Albab will promptly decide whether to accept, reject, or request revisions for referred papers based on the reviews and editorial insights from supporting journals. Editors also have the option to seek additional reviews when necessary. Authors will be advised when Editors decide that further review is required. The editor will first review submitted articles for adherence to the topic and writing style guidelines. All manuscripts undergo double-blind peer review, with both reviewer and author identities remaining confidential throughout the review to maintain academic excellence.

In summary, the steps in the process are as follows:

  1. Manuscript Submission (by the author).
  2. Manuscript Check and Selection (by the manager and editors).
  3. Editors have the authority to directly accept, reject, or review. Before proceeding to further steps, each manuscript undergoes a plagiarism check using Turnitin.
  4. Manuscript Reviewing Process (by reviewers).
  5. Notification of Manuscript Acceptance, Revision, or Rejection (by the editor to the author based on reviewer comments).
  6. Paper Revision (by the author).
  7. Revision Submission based on Reviewer Suggestions (by the author) following a process similar to point number 1.
  8. If the reviewer is satisfied with the revision, the editor notifies the author of acceptance.
  9. Galley proof and publishing process.

The steps from point number 1 to 5 constitute one round of the peer-review process (see the gray area in the figure). The editor or editorial board evaluates the feedback provided by the peer reviewers and makes a decision. The following are the most common decisions:

  1. Accepted as is: The journal will publish the paper in its original form.
  2. Accepted with Minor Revisions: The journal will publish the paper and request the author to make minor corrections within a specified timeframe.
  3. Accepted with Major Revisions: The journal will publish the paper provided the authors make the changes suggested by the reviewers and/or editors within a specified timeframe.
  4. Resubmit (conditional rejection): The journal is willing to reconsider the paper in another round of decision-making after the authors make major changes.
  5. Rejected (outright rejection): The journal will not publish the paper or reconsider it even if the authors make major revisions.

 

Open Access Policy

Open Access Logo

The Al-Albab provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.

The Al-Albab is an open access journal, which means that all content is freely available without charge to users or institutions. Users can read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to full-text articles in this journal without asking prior permission from the publisher or author. This follows the Budapest Open Access Initiative.

 

Archiving

LOCKSS Logo

The Al-Albab utilizes the LOCKSS (see LOCKSS Publisher Manifest) systems to create a distributed archiving system among participating libraries and permits those libraries to create permanent archives of the journal for purposes of preservation and restoration.

 

Copyright Notice

Creative Commons License  

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication. The works are simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

 

Scientific Statement

The articles published in the Al-Albab are scientifically proved, which follow the code of ethics in scientific publication. The code of ethics it self upholds three values of ethics in publications, namely, (1) Neutrality (free from conflicts of interest in public management). (2) Justice (giving the right of authorship to the beneficiary as the author). (3) Honesty (free from duplication, fabrication, falsification and plagiarism (DF2P) in the publication. The articles published also following certain procedures or orders, such as double-blind review and revision process that consistent with the journal’s regular review, to ensure that the quality is maintain properly.

 

Publication Ethic

Ethical Guidelines for Journal Publication

The publication of an article in a peer-reviewed journal like the Al-Albab plays a vital role in building a coherent and reputable knowledge network. It serves as a direct reflection of the quality of the authors’ work and the institutions supporting them. Peer-reviewed articles uphold and embody the scientific method. Therefore, it is crucial to establish standards of expected ethical behavior for all parties involved in the publishing process: authors, journal editors, peer reviewers, publishers, and society.

The Pascasarjana IAIN Pontianak, as the publisher of the Al-Albab, takes its role as guardian of the publication process seriously and acknowledges its ethical responsibilities. We are committed to ensuring that advertising, reprints, or other commercial interests have no impact or influence on editorial decisions.

The authors’ submissions imply that the manuscript has not been previously published in any language, either in full or in part, and is not currently under consideration for publication elsewhere. Editors, authors, and reviewers within the Al-Albab are fully committed to upholding good publication practices and accept the responsibility for the following duties and responsibilities, as outlined by the COPE Code of Conduct for Journal Editors. As part of the Core Practices, COPE provides guidelines available at http://publicationethics.org/resources/guidelines.

Publication Decisions

The editor of the Al-Albab is responsible for determining which submitted articles should be published. This decision should always be guided by the work’s validity and its significance to researchers and readers. Editors may refer to the policies of the journal’s editorial board and must adhere to legal requirements regarding libel, copyright infringement, and plagiarism. Editors may also consult with other editors or reviewers when making this decision.

Fair Play

Editors should evaluate manuscripts based on their intellectual content, without regard to the authors’ race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy.

Confidentiality

Editors and editorial staff must not disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisers, and the publisher, as necessary.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Editors should not use unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript for their own research without the express written consent of the author.

Duties of Reviewers

Contribution to Editorial Decisions

Peer review assists the editor in making editorial decisions and may also help authors improve their papers through editorial communications.

Promptness

Reviewers who feel unqualified to review a manuscript or are unable to complete the review promptly should inform the editor and excuse themselves from the review process.

Confidentiality

Manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents and should not be shared or discussed with others except as authorized by the editor.

Standards of Objectivity

Reviews should be conducted objectively, and personal criticism of the author is inappropriate. Referees should express their views clearly, supported by arguments.

Acknowledgment of Sources

Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors. Any statement that an observation, derivation, or argument has been previously reported should be accompanied by the relevant citation. Reviewers should also alert the editor to any substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript under consideration and any other published paper of which they have personal knowledge.

Disclosure and Conflict of Interest

Reviewers must keep privileged information obtained through peer review confidential and must not use it for personal advantage. Reviewers should not evaluate manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest due to competitive, collaborative, or other relationships or connections with any of the authors, companies, or institutions connected to the papers.

Duties of Authors

Reporting Standards

Authors of original research reports should provide an accurate account of their work and an objective discussion of its significance. Underlying data should be accurately represented in the paper, and the paper should include sufficient detail and references to enable replication of the work. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements are unethical and unacceptable.

Originality and Plagiarism

Authors should ensure that they have written entirely original works and properly cite or quote the work or words of others when used.

Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication

Authors should not generally publish manuscripts describing essentially the same research in more than one journal or primary publication. Simultaneous submission of the same manuscript to multiple journals is unethical and unacceptable.

Acknowledgment of Sources

Authors must appropriately acknowledge the work of others and cite publications that have significantly influenced their work.

Authorship of the Paper

Authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported study. All significant contributors should be listed as co-authors. Those who have participated in specific substantive aspects of the research project should be acknowledged or listed as contributors. The corresponding author should ensure that all appropriate co-authors are included on the paper, with no inappropriate co-authors, and that all co-authors have reviewed and approved the final version of the paper and have agreed to its submission for publication.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Authors should disclose any financial or other substantive conflicts of interest that might be seen as influencing the results or interpretation of their manuscript. All sources of financial support for the project should be disclosed.

Fundamental Errors in Published Works

If an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in their published work, they have an obligation to promptly notify the journal editor or publisher and cooperate in retracting or correcting the paper.

 

Retraction, Withdrawal, & Correction Policies

Policy Statement

We understand that the authors have worked carefully preparing manuscripts, and we have carried out peer-review processes. However, sometimes there is the potential for published articles to be withdrawn or deleted for scientific reasons. It should not be done lightly and can only occur under extraordinary circumstances. Therefore, corrections, clarifications, retractions, and apologies when needed will be carried out with strict standards to maintain confidence in the authority of its electronic archives. Our commitment and policy are to maintain the integrity and completeness of important scientific records for researchers and librarians' archives.

Article Retraction

The Al-Albab is committed to playing its part in maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record; therefore, on occasion, it is necessary to retract articles. Articles may be retracted if:

  • There is a major scientific error that would invalidate the article's conclusions, for example, where there is clear evidence that findings are unreliable, either as a result of misconduct (e.g., data fabrication) or honest error (e.g., miscalculation or experimental error).
  • The findings have previously been published elsewhere without proper cross-referencing, permission, or justification (i.e., cases of redundant publication).
  • There are ethical issues such as plagiarism (appropriation of another person's ideas, processes, results, or words without giving appropriate credit, including those obtained through confidential review of others' manuscripts) or inappropriate authorship.

To ensure that retractions are handled according to publication best practices and following COPE retraction guidelines, the Al-Albab adopts the following retraction process:

  • An article requiring potential retraction is brought to the journal editor's attention.
  • The journal editor should follow the step-by-step guidelines according to the COPE flowcharts (including evaluating a response from the author of the article in question).
  • Before any action is taken, the editor's findings should be sent to the Ethics Advisory Board. The purpose of this step is to ensure a consistent approach in accordance with industry best practices.
  • The final decision as to whether to retract is then communicated to the author and, if necessary, any other relevant bodies, such as the author's institution.
  • The retraction statement is then posted online and published in the next available issue of the journal.

Note that if authors retain the copyright for an article, this does not mean they automatically have the right to retract it after publication. The integrity of the published scientific record is of paramount importance, and COPE’s Retraction Guidelines still apply in such cases.

Article Correction

The Al-Albab should consider issuing a correction if:

  • A small part of an otherwise reliable publication reports flawed data or proves to be misleading, especially if this is the result of honest error.
  • The Author or Contributor list is incorrect (e.g., a deserving author has been omitted or someone who does not meet authorship criteria has been included).

Corrections to peer-reviewed content fall into one of three categories:

  • Publisher correction (erratum): to notify readers of a critical error made by publishing/journal staff (usually a production error) that has a negative impact on the publication record, the scientific integrity of the article, or the reputation of the authors or the journal.
  • Author correction (corrigendum): to notify readers of an important error made by the authors, which negatively impacts the publication record, the scientific integrity of the article, or the reputation of the authors or the journal.
  • Addendum: an addition to the article by its authors to explain inconsistencies, to expand the existing work, or otherwise explain or update the information in the main work.

The decision of whether a correction should be issued is made by the Editor(s) of the journal, sometimes with advice from reviewers or Editorial Board members. Handling Editors will contact the authors of the paper concerned with a request for clarification, but the final decision about whether a correction is required and which type rests with the Editors.

Article Removal

In an extremely limited number of cases, it may be necessary to remove a published article from our online platform. This will only happen if an article is clearly defamatory, infringes others’ legal rights, or where the article is, or we have good reason to expect that it will be, the subject of a court order, or where the article, if acted upon, may pose a serious health risk. In such circumstances, while the article's metadata (i.e., title and author information) will be retained, the text will be replaced with a screen indicating that the article has been removed for legal reasons.

Article Replacement

In cases where an article, if acted upon, may pose a serious health risk, the authors of the original paper may wish to retract the flawed original and replace it with a corrected version. Under such circumstances, the above procedures for retraction will be followed, with the difference that the article retraction notice will contain a link to the corrected re-published article together with a history of the document.