Submissions

Author Guidelines

JFATWA is a refereed journal dedicated to publishing original, well-researched articles within the fields of Fatwa, Halal studies, and related disciplines. The viewpoints expressed in manuscripts published by JFATWA represent those of the respective authors and not necessarily those of the editorial board.

Submission Guidelines:
1. Language: JFATWA accepts manuscripts in English, Malay, and Arabic.
2. Exclusivity: Manuscripts submitted for publication consideration in JFATWA must not be concurrently under consideration elsewhere, in either electronic or print format, nor should they have been previously published. Authors are required to declare any prior publication or ongoing consideration status upon submission.
3. Submission Process: Manuscripts should be submitted via the online submission system on OJS (Open Journal Systems). New authors must register as users before proceeding to the submission stage. While most processes are self-explanatory, should you require assistance, please contact the Managing Editor via email.

Manuscript
The manuscript should be prepared in accordance with the American Psychological Association (APA) style guide by using the Palatino Linotype or Traditional Arabic fonts. For Malay or Arabic manuscripts, additional abstract and title in English should be attached. Keywords consisting of three (3) to five (5) words should also be provided in the manuscript. Font size should be 12 for Palatino Linotype and 16 for Traditional Arabic and typed in single spacing. The length of the article should be not more than 25 pages including references. Kindly refer to the JFATWA template for further reference.

Abstract, title and Keyword Requirements
Authors are required to include an abstract of approximately 250-350 words with each manuscript. Additionally, for manuscripts in Malay or Arabic, authors must provide an additional abstract and title in English. Keywords should comprise three (3) to five (5) words.

Authorship and Contribution
All authors listed in the manuscript must have contributed to the paper, whether in its design, analysis, interpretation of data, or drafting. Additionally, all authors are required to review and approve the contents of the final version of the manuscript submitted for publication.

Acknowledgment of Funding
Authors are obligated to disclose the source of funding for their research in the acknowledgment section, following this format:

"The research work was funded by [Grant Name] (Grant No.)."

Additionally, any contributors to the article beyond the listed authors should be acknowledged with pertinent details in the acknowledgment section.

Timeliness
Authors are encouraged to promptly address manuscript revisions, as JFATWA aims to complete article revisions within two weeks. Should circumstances arise causing delay, authors are required to inform the Editorial Office and request an extension. Manuscripts without revised submissions by the given deadline will be withdrawn from JFATWA.

In the event that an author wishes to withdraw a submitted manuscript from consideration for publication in JFATWA, they must notify the Editorial Office with appropriate reasons for withdrawal.

Copyright and Licensing
Authors retain the copyright for all articles published in JFATWA. Articles are licensed under an open access Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 license, enabling free downloading and reading of the paper by anyone. Furthermore, the article may be reused and quoted, provided that proper citation to the original published version is included. These terms facilitate maximum utilization and exposure of the work, while ensuring appropriate credit to the authors.

In rare cases, articles may be subject to alternative licensing conditions. If you have specific requirements, such as those related to funding, which preclude the use of this license, please communicate this to the JFATWA Managing Editorial. Exceptions will be considered at the discretion of the publisher.

Permissions and Copyright Acknowledgment
To expedite the publication process, it is advisable to initiate permission requests promptly. If there is uncertainty regarding copyright, it is prudent to seek permission. JFATWA is unable to publish materials from other sources without proper authorization.

The copyright holder may provide specific instructions for acknowledgment; otherwise, adhere to the style: "Reproduced with permission from [author], [book/journal title]; published by [publisher], [year]," placed at the end of the caption of the Table, Figure, or Scheme.

All other materials on this website, including text, computer code, artwork, photographs, images, music, audio material, video material, and audio-visual material, are owned by the Journal of Fatwa Management and Research, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, and its licensors.

Permission to Reproduce Material
Authors must obtain permission to reproduce any published material (such as figures, schemes, tables, or text extracts) not in the public domain or for which they do not hold the copyright. Permission should be sought from the copyright holder, typically the Publisher (refer to the imprint of individual publications for clarification).

Permission is necessary for:
• Your own works published by other publishers if you did not retain copyright.
• Substantial extracts from others' works or a series of works.
• Use of unaltered or slightly modified tables, graphs, charts, schemes, and artworks.
• Photographs for which you do not hold copyright.

Permission is not required for:
• Reconstructing your own table with data already published elsewhere, provided proper citation is included.
• Fair use of reasonably short quotes.
• Graphs, charts, schemes, and artworks completely redrawn by the authors and significantly changed beyond recognition.

Manuscript Preparation and Quality Assurance
Ensuring that papers are meticulously prepared with minimal errors and adhere to the specified format and style promotes effective communication and expedites the publication process. If necessary, the JFATWA Editorial Office may return manuscripts to authors for revisions, which could prolong the publication timeline. Authors are encouraged to utilize the JFATWA template as a guideline for manuscript preparation.

The Editor reserves the right to make grammatical corrections and offer suggestions to enhance conciseness. Depending on the quality and readiness of the manuscript, additional charges may apply. Therefore, authors are advised to meticulously proofread their manuscripts before submission for final review by the Editorial Office.

Manuscript File Type
Ensure that your manuscript is compiled into a SINGLE file, structured with the following sections: Title Page Information, Manuscript (Text), and Figures and/or Tables. JFATWA only accepts Microsoft Word (MS Word) file format submissions. Please avoid submitting your manuscript as a PDF file.

Title Page Information

Title – Ensure the title is concise and informative, written in CAPITAL LETTERS.

Author Names, Affiliations, and ORCID – All authors' names should be accurately spelled. List authors' affiliations below their names, providing full postal addresses without abbreviations. Use number superscripts to indicate affiliations, corresponding to numbers placed in front of authors' names and addresses. Each author should provide their ORCID.

Corresponding Author – Designate the corresponding author with an asterisk (*) preceding their name. Include only the corresponding author's email address after the affiliations' addresses.

Manuscript Style
• Headings: Bold and presented on separate lines.
• Subheadings/Subsections: Brief and italicized, also on separate lines. Authors are encouraged to limit the use of subsections. Number headings and subheadings accordingly.

The manuscript should encompass, but is not limited to, the following elements:

Abstract – A concise summary of the manuscript, including specific aims, method description, main results, and conclusions in a single paragraph. Avoid references and limit the use of non-standard abbreviations, defining them upon first mention. Highlight the study's contribution to the international intellectual community.

Keywords – Include 3 to 5 essential words representing the research work, separated by commas on a single line.

Introduction and Literature Review – Provide a brief literature review and reference previous relevant work. Clearly state the research objectives in the final paragraph.

Methodology – Describe precise methods to ensure reproducibility, citing published or known methods accurately. Note any modifications made.

Results/Findings – Present clear and concise results, utilizing tables and figures for clarity and avoiding redundant presentation.

Discussion – Discuss the significance, impact, and consequences of the results, either combined with results or as a separate section.

Conclusion – Summarize results interpretation, implications, or recommendations, without repeating preceding points.

Conflict of Interest – Disclose any potential conflicts of interest appropriately.

Acknowledgement – Indicate sources of funding or other contributors in a concise paragraph.

References - Provide a comprehensive list of cited works following the APA referencing style.

In-Text Citation
In-text citation should follow the format: (author, date). For Arabic manuscripts, citation must be transliterated into Roman script both within the text and in the reference list. For detailed formatting and referencing assistance, please refer to the APA Publication Manual 7th Edition (www.apastyle.org).

All references cited in the text should be alphabetically listed in the references section, including authors' names. Authors are responsible for ensuring that all cited references are complete, accurate, and include all necessary information required by JFATWA. Please ensure that all references cited within the text are also included in the reference list, and vice versa.

Use the following style for your captions: Figure 1: Theoretical Framework of Fatwa and Halal.

Footnotes
Footnotes should be minimized and kept concise. They should be indicated in the text by superscript numbers and should be brief in content.

Abbreviations
Abbreviations should be employed sparingly, reserved only for lengthy terms or expressions repeated throughout the manuscript, and never in the title. Upon first usage, the full name or expression should be provided, followed by its accepted abbreviation in parentheses.

Post-Acceptance
Upon acceptance of your paper for publication, authors will receive an email notification containing the decision along with the acceptance letter. All accepted manuscripts are subject to an Article Processing Charge (APC), which covers publishing costs, website maintenance, and administrative expenses. In exceptional cases, the Editor may choose to waive this charge, as outlined in our APC Waiving Policy. The Editor-in-Chief or Managing Editors will conduct a technical review of the manuscript to assess its quality and readiness for publication. If necessary, the article may be returned to the author for further clarification, with potential charges applicable.

Authors also are expected to assume full responsibility for their submissions and the progression of their manuscripts within the journal. If JFATWA does not receive a response from the author within two weeks of acceptance, it will be assumed that the author has withdrawn their article. Such actions can impact the author's reputation, as JFATWA strictly enforces ethical standards in publishing.

Production and Proofreading
Following the receipt of all required documents, the manuscript will enter the production phase. Authors will be alerted via email when the PDF proof is prepared and available for their final review prior to publication. It is imperative that proofs are returned to the Production Editor within two days of their receipt. Authors are granted one opportunity to make corrections to the proof. Any corrections after the initial revision will incur charges. Therefore, authors are advised to meticulously review the galley proofs to ensure accuracy before final submission.

Retraction
Should an author decide to retract or remove their article, they must submit a formal request to the Editorial Office, including a justification for such action. It is important to note that the journal strongly advises against this once a manuscript has been accepted for publication. JFATWA incurs significant costs in providing full publishing services, which are recuperated solely through the APC. Retraction or removal of an article does not diminish the value of these services nor the effort involved in maintaining the scientific record.