Instructions for Authors

Research Journal Al-Qamar welcomes original, high-quality, and research-based manuscripts in the fields of Islamic Studies, Qur’anic Studies, Hadith, Seerah, Islamic Law, Islamic Thought, Comparative Religion, Philosophy, Theology, Sufism, Arabic Studies, Urdu Studies, Social Sciences, Humanities, and related disciplines.

Authors are requested to carefully follow the journal’s submission guidelines before submitting their manuscripts. Manuscripts that do not follow the required format, referencing style, ethical standards, or submission procedure may be returned for correction before peer review.

1. General Submission Requirements

Authors must ensure that the submitted manuscript is:

  1. Original and unpublished.
  2. Not under consideration by any other journal.
  3. Free from plagiarism and academic misconduct.
  4. Written in clear academic language.
  5. Properly referenced according to the required citation style.
  6. Relevant to the aims and scope of Research Journal Al-Qamar.
  7. Submitted with complete author details and declarations.

The journal accepts manuscripts in English, Urdu, and Arabic.

2. Types of Submissions

Research Journal Al-Qamar may consider the following types of academic submissions:

  1. Original Research Articles
    Full-length scholarly articles based on original research, critical analysis, textual study, historical investigation, or theoretical discussion.
  2. Review Articles
    Articles that critically review existing scholarship, books, debates, theories, or research trends in a particular field.
  3. Book Reviews
    Critical reviews of recently published academic books relevant to the journal’s scope.
  4. Scholarly Essays / Research Notes
    Short academic writings addressing important issues, concepts, texts, or contemporary debates.
  5. Monographs / Special Studies
    Extended academic works may be considered subject to editorial approval and relevance.

3. Manuscript Length

The recommended length for research articles is usually:

  • English Articles: 5,000 to 8,000 words
  • Urdu Articles: 4,000 to 7,000 words
  • Arabic Articles: 4,000 to 7,000 words
  • Book Reviews: 1,000 to 2,000 words

Longer manuscripts may be considered if the topic requires detailed discussion and the article demonstrates strong academic value.

4. Manuscript Structure

Authors should organize their manuscripts in a clear and scholarly manner. A standard research article should normally include:

  1. Title of the Article
  2. Author Name(s) and Affiliation(s)
  3. Abstract
  4. Keywords
  5. Introduction
  6. Research Problem / Statement of the Problem
  7. Objectives of the Study
  8. Research Questions / Hypothesis, where applicable
  9. Review of Literature
  10. Research Methodology
  11. Main Discussion / Analysis
  12. Findings
  13. Conclusion
  14. Recommendations, where applicable
  15. References / Bibliography

The structure may vary according to the nature of the subject, especially in textual, historical, philosophical, or religious studies.

5. Title Page

The title page should include:

  • Full title of the manuscript
  • Full name of each author
  • Institutional affiliation
  • Designation
  • Email address
  • ORCID ID, if available
  • Contact number of the corresponding author
  • Complete postal address, where required

The corresponding author must be clearly identified.

6. Abstract and Keywords

Every manuscript must include an abstract.

The abstract should:

  • Be concise and clear.
  • Briefly explain the purpose, method, main argument, and findings of the study.
  • Avoid unnecessary details, references, and long quotations.
  • Normally be between 150 and 250 words.

Authors should provide 5 to 7 keywords related to the main theme of the article.

7. Language and Style

Authors must ensure that the manuscript is written in standard academic language.

For English manuscripts:

  • Use formal academic English.
  • Avoid casual, journalistic, or emotional language.
  • Ensure correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure.

For Urdu manuscripts:

  • Use formal academic Urdu.
  • Avoid unnecessary colloquial expressions.
  • Use standard Urdu spelling and academic terminology.

For Arabic manuscripts:

  • Use standard academic Arabic.
  • Ensure proper grammar, structure, and scholarly expression.

The journal may return linguistically weak manuscripts for improvement before review.

8. Formatting Guidelines

Authors should follow the following general formatting requirements:

  • File format: Microsoft Word .doc or .docx
  • Font for English: Times New Roman
  • Font for Urdu/Arabic: Jameel Noori Nastaleeq, Alvi Nastaleeq, or Traditional Arabic where required
  • Font size for main text: 12 pt for English, 14 pt for Urdu/Arabic
  • Line spacing: 1.5
  • Margins: Normal / 1 inch on all sides
  • Text alignment: Justified
  • Page numbers: Required
  • Headings and subheadings should be clear and consistent

Authors should avoid unnecessary decorative formatting.

9. Referencing and Citation Style

All sources must be properly cited. Research Journal Al-Qamar prefers a standard academic citation style. Authors are advised to use Chicago Manual of Style, footnote-based referencing, especially for Islamic Studies, humanities, and social sciences articles.

References must be complete and accurate. Authors should carefully verify:

  • Author names
  • Book/article titles
  • Journal names
  • Volume and issue numbers
  • Page numbers
  • Publisher details
  • Year of publication
  • DOI or URL, where applicable

Incomplete, incorrect, or careless referencing may delay the review process.

10. Transliteration

For Arabic, Persian, Urdu, and Islamic terms used in English manuscripts, authors should follow a consistent transliteration style throughout the article.

Common Islamic terms may be written in a simplified form if widely accepted, such as:

  • Qur’an
  • Hadith
  • Shari‘ah
  • Sunnah
  • Fiqh
  • Ijtihad
  • Tafsir
  • Seerah

Arabic verses, Hadith texts, and classical terms should be written carefully and accurately.

11. Qur’anic Verses and Hadith References

Authors must provide accurate references for Qur’anic verses and Hadith.

For Qur’anic references, mention:

  • Surah name
  • Surah number
  • Verse number

Example:
Al-Baqarah 2:286

For Hadith references, mention:

  • Name of Hadith collection
  • Book/chapter, where applicable
  • Hadith number, where available
  • Volume and page number, where required

Authors are responsible for the accuracy of all religious references.

12. Tables, Figures, and Images

Tables, charts, figures, and images should be used only where necessary.

Authors must ensure that:

  • Tables and figures are numbered properly.
  • Titles and captions are clear.
  • Sources are mentioned where required.
  • Images are of good quality.
  • Permission has been obtained for copyrighted material.

The journal may remove unnecessary or low-quality visual material.

13. Plagiarism Policy

All submitted manuscripts are subject to plagiarism checking. Authors must ensure that their work is original and properly cited.

Plagiarism includes:

  • Copying text without citation.
  • Paraphrasing without acknowledgment.
  • Using another person’s ideas without credit.
  • Self-plagiarism or duplicate publication.
  • Submitting the same article to more than one journal.
  • Using fabricated or manipulated data.

Manuscripts with unacceptable similarity or evidence of academic misconduct may be rejected.

14. Ethical Requirements

Authors must follow ethical standards in research and publication. Where applicable, manuscripts should include:

  • Ethical approval statement
  • Informed consent statement
  • Conflict of interest statement
  • Funding statement
  • Data availability statement
  • Permission for copyrighted material
  • Declaration of originality

Research involving human participants, interviews, surveys, or sensitive data must follow proper ethical procedures.

15. Authorship and Contribution

All listed authors must have made a genuine scholarly contribution to the manuscript. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all authors have approved the final version of the manuscript.

Authors should avoid:

  • Gift authorship
  • Guest authorship
  • Ghost authorship
  • Forced authorship
  • False contribution claims

A contribution statement may be required for multi-author manuscripts.

16. Conflict of Interest

Authors must disclose any financial, institutional, personal, academic, or professional conflict of interest that may influence the research.

If there is no conflict of interest, authors should state:

The author(s) declare that there is no conflict of interest.

17. Funding Statement

Authors should clearly mention whether the research received any funding.

If no funding was received, authors may state:

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

18. Peer Review Process

All submitted manuscripts are initially reviewed by the editorial office for relevance, formatting, originality, and compliance with journal policy.

Manuscripts that pass the initial screening are sent for double-blind peer review. The identities of authors and reviewers are kept confidential during the review process.

The possible editorial decisions include:

  • Accepted
  • Accepted with minor revisions
  • Accepted with major revisions
  • Resubmission required
  • Rejected

The final decision rests with the Editor / Editorial Board.

19. Revision of Manuscripts

If revision is requested, authors must submit the revised manuscript within the given time.

The revised submission should include:

  • Clean revised manuscript
  • Highlighted version, where required
  • Response to reviewers’ comments
  • Explanation of changes made

Failure to submit revisions within the required time may result in withdrawal of the manuscript from the review process.

20. Proofreading and Final Approval

After acceptance, the manuscript may be sent to the author for final proofreading. Authors must check the proof carefully and respond within the given deadline.

Only minor corrections are allowed at the proof stage. Major changes in content, authorship, title, or structure are not normally permitted after acceptance.

21. Copyright and Publication Rights

By submitting a manuscript to Research Journal Al-Qamar, authors confirm that the work is original and that they have the right to submit it for publication.

Authors are responsible for obtaining permission for any copyrighted material used in the manuscript, including images, tables, figures, long quotations, and translated texts.

22. Submission Procedure

Authors should submit their manuscripts through the official journal submission system or the method announced by the journal.

Before submission, authors must ensure that they have prepared:

  • Manuscript file
  • Title page
  • Abstract and keywords
  • Author details
  • References
  • Ethical declaration, where required
  • Similarity report, where required
  • Author contribution statement, where applicable

Incomplete submissions may be returned.

23. Pre-Submission Checklist

Before submitting the manuscript, authors should confirm that:

  • The article is original and unpublished.
  • The manuscript falls within the journal’s scope.
  • The abstract and keywords are included.
  • References are complete and accurate.
  • The manuscript follows the required formatting style.
  • All authors have approved the final version.
  • No author has been added without genuine contribution.
  • The manuscript is not under review elsewhere.
  • Ethical approval and permissions have been obtained where required.
  • Conflict of interest and funding statements are included.

24. Final Declaration by Authors

By submitting a manuscript to Research Journal Al-Qamar, the author(s) declare that the manuscript is original, properly referenced, ethically prepared, and not submitted elsewhere. The author(s) also confirm that they accept the journal’s policies regarding peer review, plagiarism, authorship, copyright, correction, and publication ethics.