Fusthat Al-Qur'an: Journal of Qur'anic and Tafsir Studies is a peer-reviewed journal, published twice a year by Yayasan Pendidikan dan Sosial Khadijah, Paiton, Probolinggo, Indonesia. It is available online as open access as well as in print. This statement outlines the ethical behavior of all parties involved in the publication of an article in this journal, including the author, editor-in-chief, editorial board, reviewer, and publisher. This statement is based on COPE’s Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors.

The publication of an article in Fusthat Al-Qur'an: Journal of Qur'anic and Tafsir Studies, a peer-reviewed journal, is an essential building block in the development of a coherent and respected network of knowledge. It reflects the quality of the authors' work and the institutions supporting them. Peer-reviewed articles support and embody scientific methods. Therefore, it is important to agree on standards of expected ethical behavior for all parties involved in the publishing process: authors, editors, reviewers, publishers, and the society. As the publisher, Yayasan Pendidikan dan Sosial Khadijah takes its role seriously throughout all stages of publishing and recognizes its ethical responsibilities. The foundation is committed to ensuring that advertising, reprints, or other commercial revenue does not influence editorial decisions.

Authorship and Contributorship
We consider authorship (including co-authors) to require transparency regarding who contributed to the work and in what capacity, as outlined in the COPE guidelines. Authorship should be determined based on genuine contributions to the article. The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) recommends that authorship credit be based on substantial contributions to the conception and design, data acquisition, or data analysis and interpretation; drafting the article or revising it critically; and final approval of the version to be published. The order of authorship does not reflect the individual contribution. The corresponding author should ensure that all listed authors meet the authorship criteria and prepare a brief written description of their individual contributions. This information provides readers with a clear context to interpret authors’ roles accurately.

Complaints and Appeals
Fusthat Al-Qur'an: Journal of Qur'anic and Tafsir Studies has a clear procedure for handling complaints against the journal, editorial staff, editorial board, or publisher. Complaints will be clarified to an appropriate authority. Complaints may concern any aspect of the journal process such as editorial procedures, citation manipulation, unfair editor/reviewer practices, or peer-review manipulation. Complaint cases will be processed according to COPE guidelines. Complaints should be submitted via email to: rifqatulhusna@gmail.com.

Data Sharing and Reproducibility
The journal strongly encourages authors to provide supplementary datasets and code that demonstrate the results presented in their final article. The Data Sharing and Reproducibility policy is established by the editors based on COPE guidelines, and authors may request exemptions for confidentiality or security reasons.

Data Sharing Policy
This policy encourages authors to share and make publicly available the data underlying their published article, provided it does not violate the protection of human subjects or other legitimate privacy concerns. Authors are further encouraged to cite any data referenced in their article. Whether the data was created by the author or others, cited data sets should be included in the reference list. Finally, authors are encouraged to include Supplementary Materials and Data Deposit.

Ethical Oversight
The policy of Fusthat Al-Qur'an: Journal of Qur'anic and Tafsir Studies concerning the oversight of ethical principles is built on mutual trust among all participants in the publication process and an expectation of full compliance with all principles of publication ethics.

We rely on the COPE definition of ethical oversight, which states:
“Ethical oversight should include, but is not limited to, policies on consent to publication, publication on vulnerable populations, ethical conduct of research using animals and human subjects, handling of confidential data, and business/marketing practices.”
Based on this definition, the editorial staff of the journal operates with a commitment to upholding these ethical principles.

The journal is committed to considering appeals from the Ethics and Oversight Committee regarding violations of ethical principles by our authors. We are also open to considering other appeals, provided they are not anonymous and are supported by sufficient evidence.

Allegations of Research Misconduct
Research misconduct includes fabrication, falsification, citation manipulation, or plagiarism in conducting, reviewing, or writing research articles, or in reporting research results. If author(s) are found to be involved in such misconduct in articles published in Fusthat Al-Qur'an: Journal of Qur'anic and Tafsir Studies, editors have a responsibility to maintain the accuracy and integrity of the scientific record.

In cases of suspected misconduct, the Editors and Editorial Board will follow COPE’s best practices to resolve the complaint and address the misconduct fairly. This will include a full investigation of the allegation by the editors. A submitted manuscript found to contain misconduct will be rejected. If a published paper is later found to involve misconduct, a retraction will be published and linked to the original article.

Steps for Handling Allegations of Research Misconduct
The first step involves determining the validity of the allegation and assessing whether the allegation aligns with the definition of research misconduct. This initial stage also includes evaluating whether the individuals making the allegation have any relevant conflicts of interest.

If scientific misconduct or significant research irregularities are possible, the allegations are shared with the corresponding author, who is requested—on behalf of all coauthors—to provide a detailed response. After the response is received and reviewed, further analysis and consultation with experts (e.g., statistical reviewers) may be conducted. In cases where misconduct is deemed unlikely, clarifications, additional analysis, or both—often published as letters to the editor and including correction notices—are considered sufficient.

Institutions are expected to conduct appropriate and thorough investigations of scientific misconduct allegations. Ultimately, authors, journals, and institutions share an important responsibility to maintain the accuracy of the scientific record. By responding appropriately to concerns regarding scientific misconduct and taking necessary actions—such as issuing corrections, retractions with replacements, or full retractions—Fusthat Al-Qur'an: Journal of Qur'anic and Tafsir Studies upholds its responsibility to ensure the validity and integrity of the academic record.

Intellectual Property
All intellectual property policies at Fusthat Al-Qur'an: Journal of Qur'anic and Tafsir Studies are based on COPE guidelines. The journal publishes certain works in exchange for the author’s agreement to license specific exclusive rights to the publisher. As part of the License to Publish Agreement, the author warrants that the submitted work does not infringe on copyright or violate the rights of any third party.

All other intellectual property rights, apart from copyright, are retained by the authors and do not fall under the scope of Fusthat Al-Qur'an: Journal of Qur'anic and Tafsir Studies. Publishing an article does not infringe on any patent rights because the journal does not implement any inventions through the act of publishing. Similarly, publication does not violate trademark rights, as the use of titles for scholarly articles is considered fair use.

Fusthat Al-Qur'an: Journal of Qur'anic and Tafsir Studies has a clearly defined statement regarding submission ethics and policies. While all submissions undergo rigorous peer review, the journal—acting as a responsible publisher—acts promptly and decisively when faced with legal issues. For example, if a third party claims that an article infringes on their copyrighted content, the journal will conduct a thorough investigation and take the appropriate legal or editorial action.

Publication Fee
Fusthat Al-Qur'an: Journal of Qur'anic and Tafsir Studies applies no publication fee of any kind.

Correcting the Record
Fusthat Al-Qur'an: Journal of Qur'anic and Tafsir Studies is committed to maintaining the historical accuracy of all its published content. As a general principle, no published work should be altered or removed from either the print or electronic platforms after publication.

The online version of an article/manuscript/work is considered the final and complete version. Although it may technically be possible to correct it, the policy is not to do so unless in very specific circumstances. The decision to correct a published work is ultimately made by the editors.

Authors of published works must promptly inform Fusthat Al-Qur'an: Journal of Qur'anic and Tafsir Studies if they become aware of any necessary corrections. Any correction must have the consent of all co-authors. To expedite the process, correction requests should be accompanied by a signed statement of agreement from all authors. If one or more authors do not agree with the correction, the corresponding author must provide correspondence documenting communications with the dissenting authors.

1. Errata
An erratum refers to a correction of a significant error (one that affects the publication record, the scientific integrity of the work, or the reputation of the authors or the work) introduced during the production process, including omissions such as failing to incorporate factual corrections requested by the authors within the deadline specified by Fusthat Al-Qur'an: Journal of Qur'anic and Tafsir Studies and its policy.

Errata for typographical or grammatical errors will not be published unless the seemingly minor error is actually significant (e.g., an incorrect unit of measurement). Significant errors in figures or tables will be corrected by publishing a new corrected version of the figure or table as an erratum, but only if the editor deems it essential for reader comprehension.

2. Corrigenda
A corrigendum is a correction of an important error made by the authors of the work. Corrigenda are evaluated based on their relevance to readers and importance to the published record. They are published following discussion among the editors, often with assistance from peer reviewers.

All co-authors must sign an agreed wording for the corrigendum. Corrigenda submitted by the original authors are published if the scientific accuracy or reproducibility of the original work is compromised. Occasionally, after investigation by the editors, these may be published as retractions.

In cases where one or more co-authors refuse to sign a corrigendum or retraction, Fusthat Al-Qur'an: Journal of Qur'anic and Tafsir Studies, in consultation with the editors, reserves the right to publish the notice with the dissenting authors clearly identified. The journal may publish a corrigendum if there is an error in the published author list, but not for overlooked acknowledgements.

3. Addenda
An addendum is a notification of a peer-reviewed addition of information to a published work (for example, in response to a reader’s request for clarification). Addenda must not contradict the original publication. However, if the author unintentionally omitted significant information that was available at the time, it can be published as an addendum following peer review and editorial discussion.

Addenda are published only rarely and only when the editors determine that the additional information is essential for readers to fully understand a significant part of the published work.

4. Retractions
A retraction may be issued for invalid results when the conclusions of a work are seriously undermined due to an honest miscalculation or error.

A retraction may also serve as a sanction for scientific misconduct, such as severe violations of publishing ethics or breaches of author warranties, including third-party copyright infringement. Violations may include duplicate submissions, fraudulent claims of authorship, plagiarism, and the manipulation or fabrication of data.

Retraction Agreement
All co-authors will be asked to agree to a retraction. In cases where some co-authors decline to sign a retraction, Fusthat Al-Qur'an: Journal of Qur'anic and Tafsir Studies, in consultation with the editors, reserves the right to publish the retraction while indicating the dissent among authors.

Retracted works will be clearly marked and carry a “retracted” watermark throughout. In rare cases, complete removal from the online platform may be necessary. This will only occur when the published content infringes on legal rights, is defamatory, subject to a court order, or poses a serious health risk. In such instances, some metadata will remain online, while the text will be replaced with a notice stating that the content was removed for valid legal or ethical reasons.

5. Expression of Concern
If conclusive evidence about the reliability or integrity of a published work is not available—for instance, if authors provide conflicting reports, if institutions refuse to investigate allegations or withhold findings, or if the investigations are delayed or unfair—editors may issue an expression of concern rather than immediately retracting the publication. This statement, like a retraction notice, will be clearly linked to the original publication (e.g., in databases and by citing the title and authors) and will outline the reasons for concern.

If later evidence confirms the reliability or unreliability of the work, the expression of concern will be updated: either replaced by a retraction (if the work is unreliable) or linked to an exoneration statement (if the work is found valid and the author cleared).

6. Publishing Corrections
Corrections will be published as follows:
a. The title will include “Erratum”, “Corrigendum”, “Addendum”, “Retraction”, or “Expression of Concern”, as applicable.
b. It will be published as a separate document with a unique DOI and included in the work’s table of contents.
c. It will cite the original publication.
d. It will help readers understand the correction, the errors involved, or the editor’s concern.
e. It will be electronically linked to the original publication where possible.
f. It will be formatted so that indexing and abstracting services can identify and link corrections to the original work.

7. CrossMark®
CrossMark is a multi-publisher initiative offering a standard way for readers to locate the authoritative version of a published work. Fusthat Al-Qur'an: Journal of Qur'anic and Tafsir Studies places a high priority on maintaining trust in its electronic archive, recognizing the importance of scholarly record integrity and completeness for researchers and librarians. Clicking the CrossMark icon will inform the reader of the current status of the document and may provide additional publication history. The CrossMark logo will appear only on current and future journal content and is restricted to certain publication types. Please also review our updated author submission guidelines.

Publication Decisions
The editors of Fusthat Al-Qur'an: Journal of Qur'anic and Tafsir Studies are responsible for deciding which articles submitted to the journal should be published. The validation of the work in question and its importance to researchers and readers must always drive such decisions. Editors may be guided by the journal's editorial board policies and constrained by legal requirements in force concerning libel, copyright infringement, and plagiarism. Editors may consult with other editors or reviewers when making their decisions.

Plagiarism Screening
It is fundamentally the author’s duty to submit a manuscript free from plagiarism and academic malpractice. However, editors double-check each article before publication. The first step is to check plagiarism against an offline database developed by Yayasan Pendidikan dan Sosial Khadijah, followed by checks against as many online databases as possible.

Fair Play
An editor evaluates manuscripts based on their intellectual content at all times without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy of the authors.

Confidentiality
Editors and editorial staff must not disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisers, and the publisher, as appropriate.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript must not be used in editors' own research without the express written consent of the author.

Duties of Reviewers

Contribution to Editorial Decisions
Peer review assists the editors in making editorial decisions and through editorial communications with the authors may also assist the author in improving the quality of the paper.

Promptness
Any selected referee who feels unqualified to review the research reported in a manuscript or knows that its prompt review will be impossible should notify the editors and excuse themselves from the review process.

Confidentiality
Any manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents. They must not be shown to or discussed with others except as authorized by the editor.

Standards of Objectivity
Reviews should be conducted objectively. Personal criticism of the author is inappropriate. Referees should express their views clearly with supporting arguments.

Acknowledgement of Sources
Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors. Any statement that an observation, derivation, or argument had been previously reported should be accompanied by a proper citation. A reviewer should also call to the editors' attention any substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript under consideration and any other published paper of which they have personal knowledge.

Disclosure and Conflict of Interest
Privileged information or ideas obtained through peer review must be kept confidential and not used for personal advantage. Reviewers should not consider manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with any of the authors, companies, or institutions related to the papers.

Review Process
Every manuscript submitted to Fusthat Al-Qur'an: Journal of Qur'anic and Tafsir Studies is independently reviewed by at least two reviewers in the form of "double-blind review." Decisions for publication, amendment, or rejection are based upon their reports/recommendations. In certain cases, the editor may submit an article for review to another, third reviewer before making a decision, if necessary.

Duties of Editors

Fair Play
An editor at any time evaluates manuscripts for their intellectual content without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy of the authors.

Confidentiality
The editor and any editorial staff must not disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisers, and the publisher, as appropriate.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript must not be used in an editor's own research without the express written consent of the author.

Publication Decisions
The editorial board of the journal is responsible for deciding which articles submitted to the journal should be published. The validation of the work in question and its importance to researchers and readers must always drive such decisions. Editors may be guided by the journal's editorial policies and constrained by legal requirements regarding libel, copyright infringement, and plagiarism. Editors may confer with other editors or reviewers in making these decisions.

Review of Manuscripts
The editor must ensure that each manuscript is initially evaluated for originality. The editor should organize and use peer review fairly and wisely. Editors should explain their peer review processes in the information for authors and indicate which parts of the journal are peer-reviewed. The editor should use appropriate peer reviewers for papers considered for publication by selecting people with sufficient expertise and avoiding those with conflicts of interest.

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Duties of Authors

Reporting Standards
Authors of reports of original research should present an accurate account of the work performed as well as an objective discussion of its significance. Underlying data should be accurately represented in the paper. A paper should contain sufficient detail and references to permit others to replicate the work. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements constitute unethical behavior and are unacceptable.

Originality and Plagiarism
Authors should ensure that their work is entirely original, and if they have used the work and/or words of others, it must be appropriately cited or quoted.

Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication
An author should generally not publish manuscripts describing essentially the same research in more than one journal or primary publication. Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal concurrently is unethical and unacceptable.

Acknowledgement of Sources
Proper acknowledgment of the work of others must always be given. Authors should cite publications influential in determining the nature of the reported work.

Authorship of the Paper
Authorship should be limited to those who have made significant contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported research. All significant contributors should be listed as co-authors. Others who have participated in substantive aspects should be acknowledged or listed as contributors. The corresponding author should ensure all appropriate co-authors are included, that all have approved the final version, and agreed to submission.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
All authors should disclose in their manuscript any financial or other substantive conflict of interest that might influence the results or interpretation. All sources of financial support should be disclosed.

Fundamental Errors in Published Works
When an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in their published work, it is their obligation to promptly notify the journal editor or publisher and cooperate with the editor to retract or correct the paper. See Correcting the Record for further information.