Allegation of Misconduct

Allegations of Research Misconduct Policy

This Allegations of Research Misconduct Policy is established by Yayasan Darussalam Bengkulu, as the publisher of Muwafaqat: Journal of Islamic Law, in accordance with the ethical principles and best practice guidelines recommended by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

The policy aims to uphold academic integrity, transparency, accountability, and fairness in all editorial and publication processes. It provides a systematic framework for identifying, reporting, investigating, and addressing allegations of research misconduct involving manuscripts submitted to or articles published in Muwafaqat: Journal of Islamic Law.

The journal is committed to maintaining the credibility of scholarly publications, particularly in Islamic jurisprudence, Islamic legal studies, and related disciplines, by ensuring that all allegations are handled objectively, confidentially, and in accordance with internationally recognized publication ethics.

1. Definition of Research Misconduct

Research misconduct refers to unethical practices occurring during the design, conduct, analysis, reporting, submission, review, or publication of scholarly research that compromise academic integrity and the reliability of the scholarly record.

Research misconduct includes, but is not limited to, the following:

  1. Fabrication: Inventing research data, findings, interview results, legal documents, or other evidence and presenting them as authentic research materials.

  2. Falsification: Manipulating, altering, selectively omitting, or misrepresenting research data, legal sources, documents, methodologies, or findings in ways that distort the accuracy of the research.

  3. Plagiarism: Presenting another person's ideas, arguments, legal interpretations, research findings, or written expressions as one's own without appropriate acknowledgment or citation.

  4. Citation Manipulation: Deliberately including irrelevant, excessive, or inappropriate references, including self-citations, to artificially increase citation metrics or influence scholarly impact.

  5. Redundant or Duplicate Publication: Publishing or submitting substantially similar manuscripts, findings, or analyses in multiple journals without appropriate disclosure, justification, or acknowledgment of previous publications.

  6. Misrepresentation of Sources: Deliberately misquoting, fabricating, or misrepresenting legal provisions, judicial decisions, Islamic legal texts, classical jurisprudential literature, or other academic sources to support particular research conclusions.

  7. Authorship Misconduct: Including individuals who have not made qualifying scholarly contributions as authors, excluding legitimate contributors, or misrepresenting authorship responsibilities.

  8. Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest: Failing to disclose financial, institutional, personal, or professional interests that may improperly influence the research or publication process.

  9. Ethical Violations in Research: Conducting or reporting research involving human participants, interviews, personal information, or confidential legal documents without appropriate ethical safeguards, informed consent where required, or adequate protection of participant confidentiality.

Honest errors, legitimate scholarly disagreements, differences in legal interpretation, and reasonable variations in jurisprudential opinion do not constitute research misconduct unless accompanied by evidence of intentional deception, serious negligence, or other unethical practices.

2. Scope and Responsibility

This policy applies to all manuscripts submitted to Muwafaqat: Journal of Islamic Law, including manuscripts undergoing editorial screening, peer review, revision, and production, as well as articles that have already been published.

The policy applies to authors, reviewers, editors, and other individuals involved in the scholarly publication process.

The Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board, in coordination with Yayasan Darussalam Bengkulu as the publisher, are responsible for assessing and responding to allegations of research misconduct.

All allegations are handled in accordance with the principles of:

  1. Academic integrity and accountability.

  2. Objectivity and impartiality.

  3. Confidentiality and protection of involved parties.

  4. Procedural fairness and the right to respond.

  5. Transparency in editorial decisions and corrective actions.

  6. Compliance with relevant COPE guidelines and applicable ethical standards.

The journal recognizes that allegations of misconduct must be evaluated based on credible evidence rather than assumptions, personal disagreements, or unsubstantiated accusations.

3. Procedures for Handling Allegations

Initial Assessment

All allegations of research misconduct should be submitted in writing to the Editor-in-Chief through the journal's official communication channels.

The initial assessment includes the following procedures:

  1. The editorial team reviews the allegation to determine its relevance, credibility, and potential implications for research integrity.

  2. Supporting evidence, such as similarity reports, published documents, research records, or relevant correspondence, may be requested.

  3. Anonymous allegations may be considered when they contain sufficiently specific and verifiable evidence.

  4. Allegations that are clearly unfounded or unrelated to research misconduct may be dismissed following preliminary assessment.

  5. Cases involving potential conflicts of interest within the editorial team will be assigned to an independent editor or other appropriate party.

The journal will not automatically presume that an allegation is valid merely because it has been formally submitted.

Notification of the Author(s)

When an allegation requires further examination, the corresponding author will be formally notified of the concerns raised.

The notification process includes:

  1. Providing a clear description of the alleged misconduct and relevant supporting information, while protecting confidential identities where appropriate.

  2. Allowing the author or authors a reasonable opportunity to respond and submit supporting explanations or evidence.

  3. Contacting other co-authors when necessary to clarify individual responsibilities or contributions.

  4. Evaluating the author's response objectively before determining further action.

Authors are expected to cooperate with the editorial team and provide accurate and complete information during the assessment process.

Investigation and Expert Review

When the preliminary assessment indicates that an allegation may be credible, the Editorial Board may conduct further examination or seek assistance from qualified independent experts.

The investigation may involve:

  1. Reviewing submitted manuscripts, published articles, research materials, and relevant supporting documents.

  2. Consulting independent experts in Islamic jurisprudence, legal research methodology, research ethics, or other relevant disciplines.

  3. Examining the authenticity and accuracy of cited Islamic legal sources, statutory provisions, judicial decisions, interview data, and research findings.

  4. Assessing potential plagiarism, data manipulation, duplicate publication, or other ethical violations.

  5. Requesting clarification or supporting documentation from the authors when appropriate.

When allegations require a formal investigation beyond the journal's authority or expertise, the matter may be referred to the author's affiliated institution or another appropriate authority.

Muwafaqat: Journal of Islamic Law will cooperate with legitimate institutional investigations while maintaining editorial independence and protecting confidential information.

Outcomes and Editorial Actions

Based on the available evidence, the author's response, and the outcome of any relevant investigation, Muwafaqat: Journal of Islamic Law may take one or more of the following actions:

  1. No Further Action: Dismissing an allegation when the available evidence does not substantiate misconduct.

  2. Request for Clarification or Revision: Requiring authors to clarify questionable information, correct inaccuracies, or provide additional supporting documentation.

  3. Manuscript Rejection: Rejecting a manuscript under consideration when serious violations of research integrity are established.

  4. Publication of a Correction: Issuing a correction when an article contains errors that require amendment but do not invalidate its central findings.

  5. Expression of Concern: Publishing an expression of concern when serious questions about a published article remain unresolved or an investigation is ongoing.

  6. Article Retraction: Retracting a published article when its findings are unreliable or when serious publication ethics violations justify retraction, accompanied by a clear public notice and appropriate links to the original publication.

  7. Submission Restrictions: Imposing proportionate restrictions on future submissions when justified by established misconduct and the journal's applicable policies.

  8. Notification of Relevant Institutions: Informing the author's affiliated institution, research funder, or other relevant parties when necessary and appropriate.

Editorial actions will be proportionate to the nature, seriousness, and consequences of the identified misconduct.

Corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions will be managed according to applicable COPE guidance to preserve the integrity and transparency of the scholarly record.

4. Confidentiality and Fair Process

Muwafaqat: Journal of Islamic Law is committed to ensuring that allegations of research misconduct are handled fairly, responsibly, and confidentially.

The journal applies the following principles:

  1. Information concerning allegations and investigations will be disclosed only to individuals who have a legitimate role in assessing or resolving the matter.

  2. Individuals accused of misconduct will be given a reasonable opportunity to respond and present relevant evidence.

  3. The identities of individuals reporting suspected misconduct will be protected to the extent permitted by applicable laws and investigation requirements.

  4. Editorial decisions will be based on verified information, documented findings, and objective academic considerations.

  5. Editors and reviewers involved in investigations must disclose any potential conflicts of interest.

  6. The journal will avoid premature public accusations or statements that could unfairly damage the reputation of individuals or institutions.

Confidentiality does not prevent the journal from communicating necessary information to relevant institutions or authorities when required to address credible allegations of serious research misconduct.

5. Institutional Role

Muwafaqat: Journal of Islamic Law recognizes that research institutions have an important responsibility in investigating allegations involving the conduct of their affiliated researchers.

Although the journal may conduct preliminary assessments and take editorial actions, formal investigations into institutional research misconduct may require the involvement of universities, research institutions, or other competent authorities.

The journal expects relevant institutions to:

  1. Cooperate in investigating credible allegations of research misconduct.

  2. Provide appropriate information or investigation findings when legally and ethically permissible.

  3. Maintain fairness, independence, and confidentiality throughout the investigation.

  4. Implement appropriate institutional measures when misconduct is substantiated.

  5. Communicate relevant outcomes to the journal when they may affect the validity or integrity of published research.

The Editorial Board retains responsibility for decisions concerning manuscript acceptance, rejection, corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions, regardless of whether an institutional investigation is conducted.

6. Publisher's Commitment to Ethical Publishing

Yayasan Darussalam Bengkulu, as the publisher of Muwafaqat: Journal of Islamic Law, is committed to promoting responsible scholarly publishing, academic independence, and the highest standards of publication ethics.

The publisher supports the Editorial Board in maintaining an impartial and transparent publication process while ensuring that editorial decisions remain independent of commercial, financial, institutional, or personal influence.

The publisher's commitments include:

  1. Supporting editorial independence and evidence-based decision-making.

  2. Ensuring the availability of appropriate procedures for reporting and addressing suspected research misconduct.

  3. Encouraging compliance with internationally recognized research and publication ethics.

  4. Supporting investigations and corrective actions necessary to protect the scholarly record.

  5. Promoting fair treatment of authors, reviewers, editors, and individuals reporting ethical concerns.

  6. Cooperating with relevant academic institutions, research organizations, and other publishers when misconduct affects multiple publications.

  7. Supporting appropriate corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions in accordance with established ethical standards.

Through this policy, Muwafaqat: Journal of Islamic Law seeks to safeguard the credibility, reliability, and academic integrity of published scholarship while contributing to the responsible development and dissemination of knowledge in Islamic law.

This policy is informed by the ethical principles and guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

For further information regarding the handling of research misconduct and publication ethics, please refer to:

Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE): https://publicationethics.org/

COPE Guidance on Misconduct: https://publicationethics.org/misconduct