Last Updated: 28/02/25
Islamic Finance Review (IFR) is a dedicated open-access journal committed to advancing research in Islamic banking, finance, and economics. Our publishing policies are designed to ensure the protection of intellectual property, uphold academic integrity, and provide global access to high-quality research. By submitting their work to IFR, authors acknowledge and agree to the following policies.
1. Copyright and Licensing
Authors retain full copyright ownership of their published work while granting IFR a non-exclusive license to publish, distribute, and archive their research. This ensures that while IFR has the right to disseminate the work, authors remain free to use their research for academic and professional purposes. To promote knowledge sharing, all published articles are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license, which allows unrestricted distribution, adaptation, and reproduction, provided the original work is properly credited. Authors are encouraged to self-archive their published work on institutional repositories, personal websites, and academic networking platforms, with proper attribution to IFR as the original publisher.
To maintain compliance with copyright regulations, authors are responsible for securing permissions for any third-party content used in their manuscripts, including images, tables, or substantial excerpts from other works. IFR permits third-party usage of published content under the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license, ensuring broad academic and professional dissemination.
2. Submission and Peer Review Policy
All submissions to IFR must be original, unpublished, and not under review by any other journal. Manuscripts undergo rigorous plagiarism screening, and any submission found to contain significant portions of unoriginal content will be rejected. Authors are expected to ensure that their work contributes new insights to the field and adheres to ethical research and writing standards.
Every submitted manuscript is subjected to a double-blind peer review process, ensuring that both the authors and reviewers remain anonymous. This approach eliminates biases and ensures that the work is evaluated purely based on its academic merit, relevance, and methodological rigor. Reviewers assess submissions on factors such as originality, theoretical contribution, practical implications, and adherence to Islamic finance principles. Authors are provided with constructive feedback and may be required to revise and resubmit their manuscripts before final acceptance.
To maintain transparency and fairness, all co-authors of a submission must sign an authorship agreement specifying their individual contributions. Additionally, authors are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest, including financial affiliations or institutional ties, that may influence their research findings.
3. Ethical Publishing and Retraction Policy
IFR adheres to the highest standards of ethical publishing, following the guidelines set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Authors must ensure that their research is conducted and reported transparently, avoiding any form of fabrication, falsification, or selective reporting of data. Research involving human subjects must comply with ethical approval requirements, and authors should provide evidence of such approvals where applicable.
In cases where misconduct, plagiarism, or significant errors are identified in a published article, IFR reserves the right to retract or correct the work. Minor corrections may be made through errata, while serious ethical violations may result in full retractions and permanent restrictions on future submissions by the responsible authors. IFR is committed to protecting the integrity of academic research and will take necessary action to ensure that all published material meets the highest ethical standards.
4. Open Access, Archiving & Accessibility
Islamic Finance Review follows a fully open-access publishing model, ensuring that all research is freely available to readers worldwide without any subscription or access fees. This model promotes academic inclusivity and allows scholars, professionals, and policymakers to benefit from cutting-edge research in Islamic finance.
To guarantee the long-term accessibility of published content, IFR permanently archives all articles in digital repositories and ensures that research remains available for future reference. The journal is also indexed in leading academic databases to enhance the visibility and citation impact of published work, thereby increasing its contribution to the global body of knowledge in Islamic finance.
5. Publishing Fees and Funding Transparency
While IFR does not charge a fee for manuscript submissions, there may be an Article Processing Charge (APC) for accepted papers to cover editorial and operational costs. These charges help maintain the journal’s open-access model and ensure high-quality editorial and peer review processes. Authors who may have financial constraints can apply for fee waivers, particularly early-career researchers and those from developing countries.
Editorial decisions at IFR remain independent of financial considerations, and funding sources do not influence the acceptance or rejection of manuscripts. Authors must disclose any funding received for their research to ensure transparency in academic publishing.
6. Author Responsibilities & Compliance
Authors submitting their work to IFR must adhere to the journal’s ethical and academic publishing standards. They are responsible for ensuring that their research is original, properly cited, and does not violate copyright laws. Any conflicts of interest must be disclosed at the time of submission to maintain transparency and academic integrity.
Authors must also ensure that they have obtained necessary permissions for any third-party content included in their submissions. Once a manuscript is accepted, authors are expected to cooperate in the revision process and address feedback from peer reviewers and editors in a timely manner.
7. Editorial Rights & Dispute Resolution
The editorial board of IFR reserves the right to reject, revise, or request modifications to any submission that does not align with the journal’s scope, quality, or ethical standards. While the peer review process is designed to be fair and impartial, any disputes regarding authorship, research integrity, or publishing rights will be handled in accordance with COPE guidelines. Authors who wish to appeal editorial decisions must provide a well-reasoned justification for their request, which will be reviewed by the editorial team.
Conclusion
Islamic Finance Review is committed to promoting ethical, transparent, and high-quality publishing in the field of Islamic banking and finance. Our policies ensure that research remains accessible, credible, and valuable to both academic and professional communities. Authors, reviewers, and readers are encouraged to engage with IFR’s platform to advance meaningful discussions and contribute to the evolving landscape of Islamic finance research.
For any inquiries regarding submission, copyright, or ethical compliance, please contact contact@islamicfinancereview.co.uk or visit our submission guidelines.