Conflicts of Interest Policy

The Journal of Islamic Humanities and Social Inquiry (JIHSI) requires all participants in the publication process to disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could be perceived as influencing the objectivity or integrity of the research. This policy follows the ethical guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).

Definition of Conflict of Interest
A conflict of interest (also known as a competing interest) exists when professional judgment concerning a primary interest (such as the validity of research) may be influenced by a secondary interest (such as financial gain or personal relationships). These interests can be financial, personal, academic, or professional.

Obligations for Authors
Authors must disclose all financial and personal relationships that might bias their work.
•    Financial Interests: Authors must disclose funding, grants, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or honoraria related to the research or its outcomes.
•    Personal and Professional Relationships: Authors must declare any personal or professional ties with the editors or potential reviewers that could influence the review process.
•    Disclosure Statement: At the time of submission, authors are required to include a "Conflict of Interest Statement" in their manuscript. If no conflict exists, the authors must state: "The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this paper."

Obligations for Reviewers
Reviewers are the guardians of the journal's academic quality and must remain impartial.
•    Recusal: Reviewers must recuse themselves from the peer-review process if they have a conflict of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with any of the authors or institutions connected to the manuscript.
•    Confidentiality: Reviewers must not use information from an unpublished manuscript to further their own interests or those of any other individual or organization.

Obligations for Editors
Editors hold the ultimate responsibility for publication decisions and must operate with total transparency.
•    Neutrality: Editors must disqualify themselves from handling a manuscript if they have a relationship with the authors or a personal interest in the research topic.
•    Managing Submissions from the Editorial Board: To prevent "predatory" perceptions, any manuscript submitted by a member of the JIHSI editorial board will be handled by an independent guest editor or another board member who has no conflict of interest with the author.

Handling Undisclosed Conflicts
If an undisclosed conflict of interest is discovered after publication, JIHSI will follow the COPE flowcharts to manage the situation. This may result in the publication of a formal "Expression of Concern" or, in severe cases, the "Retraction" of the article to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record.