Publication Ethics

Publication Ethics Policy

Introduction
The HOLY QURAN Journal, published by Peninsula Publishing and focused on Islamic studies, is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics. We adhere to the principles outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and follow best practices for all participants in the publishing process—authors, reviewers, editors, and publishers.

1. Ethical Oversight

We are dedicated to maintaining academic integrity, preventing misconduct, and promoting ethical research. The journal has a zero-tolerance policy toward:

  • Plagiarism

  • Data fabrication or falsification

  • Duplicate or redundant submission

  • Improper authorship practices

  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest

Any suspected misconduct is investigated following COPE flowcharts.

2. Author Responsibilities

  • Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure that submitted work is original and appropriately cited. All manuscripts undergo plagiarism screening.

  • Multiple Submissions: Manuscripts must not be under review or published elsewhere.

  • Data Access and Retention: Authors may be required to provide raw data and should retain it for a reasonable period.

  • Acknowledgment of Sources: Proper attribution must be given to all referenced works.

  • Authorship Criteria: All contributors who meet authorship criteria should be listed; others should be acknowledged.

  • Conflict of Interest Disclosure: All funding sources and potential conflicts of interest must be disclosed.

  • Use of AI: If AI-assisted technologies were used (e.g., in writing or analysis), their role must be clearly disclosed.

  • Corrections and Retractions: Authors must promptly inform the editor of any significant errors and cooperate in correction or retraction processes.

3. Reviewer Responsibilities

  • Confidentiality: All manuscripts must be treated as confidential.

  • Objectivity: Reviews must be constructive, impartial, and evidence-based.

  • Timeliness: Reviewers should notify the editors if they are unable to review promptly.

  • Acknowledgment of Sources: Reviewers should highlight relevant work not cited.

  • Disclosure: Reviewers must declare conflicts of interest and decline reviewing if impartiality is compromised.

4. Editorial Responsibilities

  • Fair Review: Manuscripts are evaluated based on scholarly merit, without regard to authors’ race, gender, institutional affiliation, or background.

  • Confidentiality: Editors must not disclose information about a manuscript to anyone not involved in the process.

  • Decision-Making: Final decisions rest with the editor-in-chief, based on peer review, journal scope, and legal obligations.

  • Corrections and Retractions: Editors will issue:

    • Corrigenda for author errors

    • Errata for publisher errors

    • Retractions for serious misconduct (e.g., data falsification, plagiarism)

    • Expressions of Concern when an investigation is pending

All notices will be clearly labeled, linked to the original article, and freely accessible.

5. Complaints and Appeals

Authors, readers, or reviewers may raise complaints or appeal editorial decisions. All complaints are handled confidentially and in accordance with COPE recommendations.

To submit a complaint or appeal, please contact:
appeal@peninsula-press.ae

6. Ethical Research and Participant Protection

  • Human Subjects: Research involving humans must comply with the Declaration of Helsinki and have institutional ethics approval. Informed consent is required for all participants.

  • Animal Research: Authors must adhere to institutional and international animal welfare guidelines.

  • Data Protection: Authors must comply with applicable data protection regulations and ensure the confidentiality of subjects.

7. Open Access and Licensing

HOLY QURAN Journal is an open access journal. All content is published under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), allowing for reuse with proper attribution.

 

8. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

We actively support:

  • Submissions from underrepresented groups

  • Inclusive peer review practices

  • Bias mitigation in editorial decisions

  • Accessibility of content for all users

Our editors and reviewers receive regular training on inclusive practices.

9. Sanctions for Ethical Violations

Sanctions may include:

  • Formal warnings

  • Retraction of published articles

  • Submission bans

  • Removal from editorial or reviewer roles

  • Notification of institutional authorities

10. Archiving and Indexing

The journal ensures long-term digital preservation through Portico.

11. Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Automated Tools in Publishing

AI Use by Authors

  • Authors must clearly disclose the use of any AI-assisted tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Grammarly, DALL·E, etc.) used in the generation, editing, analysis, or translation of manuscript content.

  • Disclosure should be included in the Acknowledgments or a separate Author Contributions section.

  • AI tools must not be listed as authors and cannot assume responsibility for content integrity or ethical compliance.

  • Authors remain fully accountable for the accuracy, originality, and ethical soundness of all submitted content, including that created or enhanced with AI.

AI and Data Integrity

  • AI-generated data or synthetic content must be clearly labeled and supported by documentation.

  • When AI is used to analyze human data, authors must ensure compliance with ethical standards, especially regarding privacy and informed consent.

AI Use by Reviewers and Editors

  • Reviewers and editors must not upload any confidential manuscript content to public AI platforms (e.g., ChatGPT, Google Bard) to avoid breaches of confidentiality and copyright.

  • Editors may use AI internally for administrative tasks (e.g., similarity checks, language suggestions), but final decisions must always be made by humans.

  • Any AI involvement in peer review workflow (e.g., reviewer suggestion systems) must respect transparency, confidentiality, and bias mitigation protocols.

Ethical Boundaries and Responsibilities

  • All stakeholders must adhere to the ethical boundaries of AI use, ensuring that:

    • AI does not introduce bias, plagiarism, or misinformation.

    • No deceptive manipulation or AI “ghostwriting” is used to bypass scientific rigor.

    • The academic record remains human-accountable and ethically sound.