This statement outlines the ethical standards expected of all parties involved in the publication process of articles within the Journal of Islamic Heritage and Civilization, encompassing authors, editors, peer-reviewers, and the publisher. This policy is informed by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)’s Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors, aiming to ensure integrity and prevent misconduct in scholarly publishing.

The publication of an article in a peer-reviewed journal such as the Journal of Islamic Heritage and Civilization is a crucial element in the advancement of a reliable and respected body of knowledge. It reflects directly on the quality of the authors' work and the institutions that support them. Peer-reviewed articles uphold the principles of the scientific method. Therefore, it is essential to establish agreed-upon standards of ethical behavior for all stakeholders in the publishing process: authors, journal editors, peer reviewers, the publisher, and the scholarly community.

1. Publication Decisions (Responsibilities of Editors)

   The editors of Senarai are responsible for making impartial decisions regarding which submitted articles should be published. These decisions are driven by the validation of the work's significance to the academic community and readership. Editors may be guided by the journal's editorial board policies and are bound by legal requirements concerning libel, copyright infringement, and plagiarism. The editors may consult with other editors or reviewers to inform their decisions.

2. Fair Play (Responsibilities of Editors)

   Editors evaluate manuscripts based on their intellectual merit, without discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy of the authors.

3. Confidentiality (Responsibilities of Editors and Editorial Staff)

   The editor and any editorial staff must maintain the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts. Information about a manuscript should not be disclosed to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisors, and the publisher, as appropriate and necessary for the editorial process.

4. Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest (Responsibilities of Editors)

   Unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript must not be used in an editor's own research without the explicit written consent of the author. Editors should also recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where they have a conflict of interest.

5. Duties of Reviewers
   • Contribution to Editorial Decisions: Peer review plays a vital role in assisting editors in making informed editorial decisions and can also help authors improve their manuscripts through constructive feedback.
   • Promptness: Any invited reviewer who feels unqualified to review the research presented in a manuscript or knows that a timely review is not possible should immediately notify the editor and decline the invitation.
   • Confidentiality: Manuscripts received for review are confidential documents and should be treated as such. They must not be shared with or discussed with others unless explicitly authorized by the editor.
   • Standards of Objectivity: Reviews should be conducted objectively, with a focus on the scholarly merit of the work. Personal criticism of the author is inappropriate. Reviewers should express their views clearly and provide supporting evidence and arguments for their comments.
   • Acknowledgement of Sources: Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors. Any claim 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 work of which they have personal knowledge.
   • Disclosure and Conflict of Interest: Privileged information or ideas gained through the peer-review process must be kept confidential and not used for personal gain. Reviewers should not agree to review manuscripts where they have a conflict of interest arising from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships or connections with any of the authors, companies, or institutions associated with the submitted work.
6. Duties of Authors
   • Reporting Standards: Authors reporting original research should present an accurate and comprehensive account of the work performed, along with an objective discussion of its significance. The underlying data should be accurately represented in the manuscript. Sufficient detail and references should be provided to allow others to replicate the work. Fabricated or knowingly inaccurate statements constitute unethical behavior and are unacceptable.
   • Data Access and Retention: Authors may be asked to provide the raw data related to their manuscript for editorial review and should be prepared to make such data publicly accessible, if feasible. In all cases, authors should be prepared to retain the data for a reasonable period after publication.
   • Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure that their work is entirely original and that all sources, including text, data, figures, and tables, have been appropriately cited or quoted. Plagiarism in any form constitutes unethical publishing behavior and is strictly prohibited.
   • Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication: Authors should not submit manuscripts describing essentially the same research to more than one journal or primary publication concurrently. Submitting the same manuscript to multiple journals at the same time is unethical and unacceptable. Authors should also avoid redundant publication, where the same research is reported in multiple publications without proper justification and cross-referencing.
   • Acknowledgement of Sources: Proper acknowledgment of the work of others is mandatory. Authors should cite all publications that have significantly influenced the reported work.
   • Authorship of the Paper: Authorship should be limited to those individuals who have made a substantial contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported study. All individuals who have made significant contributions should be listed as co-authors. Those who have participated in certain substantive aspects of the research project should be acknowledged in the manuscript or listed as contributors. The corresponding author bears the responsibility of ensuring that all appropriate co-authors are included, that no inappropriate co-authors are listed, and that all co-authors have reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript and have agreed to its submission for publication.
   • Hazards and Human or Animal Subjects: If the research involves chemicals, procedures, or equipment with inherent unusual hazards, the authors must clearly identify these hazards in the manuscript and include appropriate safety precautions. For research involving human or animal subjects, authors must include a statement identifying the ethics committee that approved the study and confirming that the research was conducted in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations.
   • Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: All authors should disclose any financial or other substantive conflicts of interest that could potentially bias the results or interpretation of their manuscript. All sources of financial support for the research project should be clearly acknowledged in the manuscript.
   • Fundamental Errors in Published Works: If an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in their own published work, they have an ethical obligation to promptly notify the journal editor or publisher and cooperate fully with the editor to retract or correct the paper. This may involve publishing an erratum, corrigendum, or retraction notice.