Ethics Statement

The Malaysian Journal of Syariah and Law (MJSL) is a scholarly publication published by the Faculty of Syariah and Law at Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia and is subject to a rigorous peer review process. The journal strives to maintain the highest standards of publication ethics and takes proactive steps to prevent any form of publication misconduct. Authors submitting original articles to MJSL assure that their work is original and does not contain copied or plagiarized content from other sources, thereby complying with the MyCite Selection Criteria, Elsevier policies and ethical principles, and the COPE Best Practice Guidelines Journal Editors.

Ethical Guideline for Journal Publication.

Ethical guidelines for publication in peer-reviewed journals are critical to establishing a coherent and highly respected body of knowledge. The publication of an article in the peer-reviewed Malaysian Journal of Syariah and Law (MJSL) reflects the quality of the authors' work and the institutions that support them. Peer-reviewed articles are fundamental to strengthening and disseminating the scientific method. Therefore, it is essential to establish a set of ethical standards expected of all parties involved in publication, including authors, journal editors, reviewers, publishers, and the Society.

As the publisher of MJSL, the Faculty of Syariah and Law at Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia takes its role in ensuring ethical practices at all stages of publication very seriously. The MJSL recognizes the responsibility to behave ethically and comply with other relevant obligations.

The Responsibilities of Authors

In order to maintain the integrity and quality of research publications, authors are expected to adhere to ethical guidelines in all stages of their work. The following guidelines outline the duties of authors:

Standards for reporting: authors writing reports or conducting their own research are expected to provide an accurate and unbiased account of their work. The data underlying the research must be accurately presented in the paper, which should contain sufficient information and references to allow others to reproduce the work. Fraudulent or intentionally inaccurate statements are considered unethical and are not acceptable.
Data Access and Retention: Authors are expected to provide the original data related to their manuscript for editorial review and should also be willing to make such data available to the public, where feasible, in accordance with the Sherpa Romeo statement and the ALPSP-STM Statement on Data and Databases. Additionally, authors must be prepared to keep the raw data for a reasonable period following publication.
Originality and Plagiarism: MJSL expects authors to produce their own works in their entirety. Utilizing proper citation or quotation is required when using the works and/or words of others, proper citation or quotation is necessary. Plagiarism can take a variety of forms, from representing another person's work as one's own, to copying or paraphrasing significant portions of another person's work without proper attribution, to claiming research conducted by others. Plagiarism in any form constitutes unethical publishing behaviour and is not acceptable. Authors should only submit original work that is not plagiarized and has not been previously published or is under consideration elsewhere. MJSL editors may use appropriate software to identify similarities between submitted manuscripts and existing literature. It is not permissible to submit fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate information. All work and/or words from other publications must be appropriately cited or quoted. For more information, please refer to the MJSL Plagiarism Policy.
Multiple, Redundant or Concurrent Publication: In general, authors are advised not to publish manuscripts that describe essentially the same research in multiple journals or primary publications. Such action would be considered unethical publishing behaviour and is not acceptable. Simultaneous submission of the same manuscript to multiple journals is also deemed unacceptable.
Acknowledgement of Sources: MJSL believes that it is critical to properly acknowledge the contributions of others. Authors are expected to properly cite publications that have had a significant impact on their research.
Authorship of the Paper: Authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, implementation, or interpretation of the reported research findings. All co-authors who have made a significant contribution to the research findings should be listed. If others have made a significant contribution to certain aspects of the study, they should be acknowledged or identified as contributors. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all appropriate co-authors are listed in the manuscript and that there are no inappropriate co-authors. In addition, the corresponding author should confirm that all co-authors have reviewed and approved the final manuscript and agree to its publication.
Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: It is important that authors disclose any potential conflicts of interest, including financial or other significant conflicts of interest that could affect the results or interpretation of their manuscript. In addition, authors should disclose in their manuscript all sources of financial support for the research project.
Fundamental Errors in Published Works: If an author discovers an error or inaccuracy in his or her published work, he or she is responsible for promptly notifying and cooperating with the MJSL editor to retract or correct the work.
Hazardous Materials: In cases where the research involves the use of chemicals, procedures, or devices that carry risks, it is the responsibility of the author to explicitly state these risks in the manuscript.
Protection of Human Subjects: Research involving human subjects should comply with ethical guidelines such as the Declaration of Helsinki or the Belmont Report. Authors must ensure that the privacy, confidentiality, and dignity of participants are maintained throughout the study. The risk of harm to participants must be minimized, and the benefits of the research should outweigh the potential risks.
Protection of Animal Subjects: Research involving animals should follow ethical guidelines such as the Animal Welfare Act 2015 and the National Institutes of Health Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. Authors must ensure that animals are treated humanely and that their pain and suffering are minimized. Animals should be housed in a comfortable and safe environment and have access to food and water.

The Responsibilities of Editors

Fair Play: In evaluating manuscripts, editors must commit to fair play by evaluating the intellectual content of submissions without regard to the race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, nationality, ethnicity, or political philosophy of the authors.
Confidentiality: In accordance with publication ethics, the editor and all editorial board members are bound by strict confidentiality and should not disclose any information concerning a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisors, and the publisher, as deemed appropriate.
Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: An editor may use unpublished material from a submitted manuscript for his or her own research only with the explicit written permission of the author.
Publication Decisions: The MJSL editorial board holds the responsibility of determining the articles that qualify for publication after a thorough review process. The decision must be based on the significance of the research to readers and researchers and on its validation. In making this decision, the Editorial Board must adhere to the journal's policies and legal obligations regarding libel, plagiarism, and copyright infringement. Collaboration with other editors or reviewers may be sought to facilitate the decision-making process.
Review of Manuscripts: the editor is responsible for assessing the originality of each manuscript submitted. The editor should establish and use a fair and appropriate peer review process. The peer review procedures should be clearly explained to authors and indicate which parts of the journal will be subject to review. The editor should select reviewers who have the expertise required for the manuscripts and avoid reviewers with potential conflicts of interest.

The Responsibilities of Reviewers

Contribution to Editorial Decisions: The peer review process assists the editor in deciding which manuscripts to publish and helps authors to improve the quality of their work through feedback from experts in the field.
Promptness: If a selected peer reviewer feels that he or she does not have the necessary qualifications to evaluate the research of a manuscript or will not be able to complete the review in a timely manner, he or she should inform the editor and withdraw from the review process.
Standards of Objectivity: the review process must be conducted objectively and without personal criticism of the author. Reviewers should justify their opinions with sound arguments.
Confidentiality: all manuscripts submitted for review must be considered confidential material. It is imperative that these documents not be disclosed to or discussed with unauthorized persons unless permitted by the editor.
Disclosure and Conflict of Interest: Any confidential information or concepts obtained during the peer review process should be kept confidential and not used for personal gain. Peer reviewers should avoid evaluating manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest arising from competitive, collaborative, or other affiliations with authors, companies, or institutions associated with the manuscripts.
Source Acknowledgement: It is required that reviewers acknowledge any relevant published work that the author has not referenced in the manuscript. If the reviewer comments on an observation, derivation, or argument that has already been reported, the reviewer must cite the appropriate source. If a reviewer has personal knowledge of substantial similarities or overlaps between the manuscript under review and other published work, he or she must bring this to the attention of the MJSL editor.

Ethics on Post Publication

Amendments: Authors may request changes to their published works for various reasons. Such changes can be divided into four categories, namely Erratum, Corrigendum, Retraction, or Addendum.

Erratum: it refers to a formal notification of a significant error made by the journal during the production process of an article that could potentially affect the scientific integrity of the publication, the reputation of the authors, or the journal itself.

Corrigendum: it is a formal notification of a significant error made by the author(s) of an article that could potentially impact the scientific integrity of the publication, the reputation of the authors, or the journal itself.

Retraction: a formal notice invalidating the results of a published article. All co-authors must sign the retraction stating the error and briefly explaining how the conclusions of the article are affected. In deciding whether to retract, consideration will be given to whether subsequent information not known at the time of publication has seriously undermined or invalidated the main conclusions of the article.

If readers feel that a published paper should be retracted, they should notify the Editor-in-Chief. The editor will then consult with reviewers to determine whether the new information might call into question the main conclusions of the published article. The author of the article will also be given the opportunity to provide an explanation of the request.

Addendum: it is an official notice that offers further details or clarification to a previously published article. It is often issued in response to requests from readers seeking further clarification on a specific aspect of the publication.

Penalties and Sanctions

The MJSL Editorial Board is solely responsible for determining the appropriate action to be taken in cases of plagiarism. Plagiarism is considered a form of scientific misconduct and is a serious violation of publication ethics. The journal takes such misconduct seriously and will address it promptly and accordingly. The Editors-in-Chief, Editorial Boards, and Reviewers are the primary parties responsible for detecting instances of plagiarism in manuscripts submitted to the journal. Given the gravity of such a charge, confidentiality must be maintained throughout the process. The details of the plagiarism charge, along with any supporting materials and the outcome, should only be disclosed to those involved in the review process.

It is important that authors follow due process and maintain confidentiality in all cases of alleged plagiarism, falsification, and other forms of unethical conduct. Such cases will be handled in accordance with the Publication Code of Ethics established by the Editorial Board. If the Editorial Board determines that unethical conduct has occurred, the manuscript in question will be rejected, and if the article has already been published, it will be immediately withdrawn. Depending on the nature of the misconduct, authors may be barred from submitting articles to the journal for a period of one to three years. The journal reserves the right to evaluate issues of misconduct such as plagiarism and redundancy on a case-by-case basis.

Consequences

To the authors: If plagiarism, forgery, fabrication, or substantial omission is found in a manuscript, it is considered unethical publishing behaviour and is unacceptable. In such cases, editors and/or reviewers must report the alleged misconduct to the Editor-in-Chief, who will take appropriate action and notify the Editorial Board. Depending on the severity of the case, consequences for authors may include notification, rejection of the manuscript, retraction of the published article with a notice on the website, prohibition of submissions to the journal for a specified period of time, and informing the authors' institution of the unethical behaviour for their further action.

To the members of the Editorial Board: the reputation of the journal depends to a great extent on the integrity and fairness of the members of the Editorial Board. Therefore, they are expected to show a high degree of commitment to this goal. If there are complaints of misconduct against a member of the Editorial Board, the complainant should contact the Editor-in-Chief. The Editor-in-Chief will then provide the journal Editorial Board with appropriate documentation to support the violation of publication ethics. If a member of the Editorial Board is found guilty of such unethical conduct, they will be removed from their position. The sanctions imposed on them will be the same as those imposed on authors found guilty of misconduct.

Ethical Guidelines for Human Subjects Research

To comply with ethical principles, researchers who wish to conduct studies with human participants must meet a number of conditions. These include:

Obtaining prior approval from an institutional review board (IRB) or equivalent ethics committee.
Submitting evidence of IRB or ethics committee approval of the research, with any information that could lead to the identification of study participants removed from the approval document prior to submission to the MJSL.
Certification of compliance with ethical procedures in the submission of the manuscript
Submission of a report on how informed consent was obtained, or a rationale for why consent was not obtained.
Ensure that written consent was obtained from an identified individual for the use of their data.

Privacy and Informed Consent for Publication

Protecting the privacy and anonymity of research participants is crucial. Therefore, we respect individuals' right to anonymity and take all necessary measures to protect their privacy.

Authors are required not to disclose identifying information unless it is essential to their contribution. If they do provide such information, such as patient data, they must confirm that they have obtained written consent from the individual by using the consent form for publication in MJSL.

MJSL thoroughly reviews all submissions for potentially identifying information and documentation of patient consent for publication. If the journal finds identifying patient information without proper consent, the journal will not consider the submission for publication.

In cases where identifying information is discovered after publication, the journal will temporarily withdraw the article and remove any content that may compromise participant privacy.