Plagiarism and Originality
Purpose
Islamic Sciences is committed to publishing original and properly documented scholarship. Authors are expected to acknowledge the sources on which their work depends and to distinguish clearly between their own contribution and the ideas, words, translations, or interpretations of others.
Plagiarism, duplicate publication, fabricated sources, and the deliberate misrepresentation of another person's work are not acceptable.
This policy applies to all material submitted to the journal.
Originality
A manuscript submitted to Islamic Sciences should be an original scholarly contribution and should not have been published elsewhere in substantially the same form.
Authors may naturally build upon earlier scholarship, primary texts, translations, historical materials, and their own previous research. Where they do so, the relevant sources should be acknowledged in accordance with normal academic practice.
A manuscript should not be under consideration by another journal at the same time.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the use of another person's words, ideas, arguments, translations, interpretations, or research without proper acknowledgement.
It may include:
- Copying passages without quotation or citation
- Closely paraphrasing another author without acknowledgement
- Presenting another scholar's argument or interpretation as one's own
- Using material from books, articles, theses, websites, or unpublished work without proper reference
- Reproducing another person's translation without acknowledgement
- Using tables, figures, data, or other scholarly material without identifying the source
- Concealing the actual source of borrowed material through misleading or incomplete citation
Plagiarism may involve published or unpublished material and may occur across languages as well as within the same language.
Translations and Classical Sources
Research published in Islamic Sciences frequently engages Arabic and other languages, as well as Qurʾanic material, Hadith, classical texts, manuscripts, and historical sources. The journal therefore expects particular care in the use and attribution of such material.
Translating a passage from another work does not make it original. Where an author provides a translation from a primary or secondary source, the source should be identified. If an existing published translation has been used, it should be acknowledged where appropriate.
Authors should also distinguish between their own translation and one taken or adapted from another scholar.
References to Qurʾanic verses, Hadith, classical works, and other primary sources should be given accurately enough for the source to be identified and checked.
Self-Plagiarism and Reuse of Earlier Work
Authors should not present substantial portions of their own previously published work as new scholarship without acknowledgement.
Some limited repetition may be reasonable, particularly when explaining established terminology, background, or methodology. The important consideration is whether the submitted manuscript makes a clear and meaningful new contribution.
Where an article develops from an author's earlier publication, that work should be cited where relevant.
Previous Dissemination and Duplicate Publication
The journal does not normally publish material that has already appeared elsewhere in substantially the same form.
A paper developed from a thesis, dissertation, conference presentation, lecture, working paper, or similar academic work may be considered if its earlier status is disclosed and the submitted version has been sufficiently developed for journal publication.
Authors who are uncertain whether earlier circulation of their work constitutes previous publication should inform the editorial office when submitting the manuscript.
Similarity Checking
Islamic Sciences may use similarity-checking or plagiarism-detection software as part of the editorial process.
Similarity itself is not the same as plagiarism. Quotations, references, standard terminology, primary-source passages, and properly attributed material may all produce textual similarity.
For this reason, the journal does not make editorial decisions solely on the basis of a similarity percentage. Where a similarity report raises a concern, editors consider the source, extent, context, and manner in which the matching material has been used.
A low similarity score does not necessarily rule out plagiarism, just as a higher score does not by itself establish misconduct.
References and Source Accuracy
Authors are responsible for checking the accuracy of the sources they cite.
References should not be invented, altered, or used in a misleading manner. Quotations should be attributed to their actual sources, and authors should not give the impression that they have consulted a primary text when their knowledge of it comes only through a secondary source.
Fabricated references, false quotations, misleading attribution, and unverified references produced by AI-assisted tools are not acceptable.
Editors may ask an author to verify a reference, quotation, translation, or source where there is a reasonable concern about its accuracy.
Use of AI-Assisted Tools
The use of AI-assisted tools does not change an author's responsibility for the originality and accuracy of a manuscript.
Such tools must not be used to fabricate references, quotations, evidence, or sources, or to disguise material taken from the work of others.
Authors are expected to verify independently any references, translations, summaries, or factual claims produced with the assistance of AI. Substantive use of such tools should be disclosed where required by the journal's publication ethics policy.
How the Journal Handles Concerns
Where possible plagiarism or significant unattributed borrowing is identified before publication, the editorial team may examine the relevant sources and ask the author for an explanation or correction.
Depending on the circumstances, the journal may request revision, require proper attribution, reject the manuscript, or take further action where the matter appears to involve serious academic misconduct.
The journal distinguishes between an ordinary citation error and deliberate or substantial plagiarism. Editorial action will therefore depend on the nature and seriousness of the problem.
Concerns After Publication
A concern about plagiarism may also be considered after an article has been published.
Where sufficient grounds exist, the journal may review the article and relevant sources and seek an explanation from the author. If a serious problem is established, appropriate action may include a correction, editorial notice, expression of concern, or retraction.
Any such action is intended to preserve the accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record.
Author Responsibility
Authors are ultimately responsible for ensuring that their manuscripts are original and properly referenced.
Before submission, authors should check that quotations are clearly identified, paraphrased material is cited, translations are appropriately attributed, references are accurate, and any relevant earlier publication of their own work has been disclosed.
Our Approach to Original Scholarship
Islamic Sciences recognizes that scholarship develops through engagement with existing texts, traditions, arguments, and previous research. Originality does not require writing without intellectual predecessors; it requires authors to acknowledge those predecessors honestly and to make clear what they themselves are contributing.
Careful attribution is therefore regarded not simply as a technical requirement, but as part of responsible scholarly practice.
