Allegations of Misconduct

El-Hayah upholds the highest standards of academic honesty and scientific integrity in all stages of its publication process. Research misconduct refers to fabrication, falsification, citation manipulation, or plagiarism in conducting, writing, reviewing, or reporting research. When authors are found to have engaged in such misconduct or other serious ethical violations related to a published article, the Editors bear the responsibility to preserve the accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record.

In addressing suspected cases of misconduct, the Editors and Editorial Board of El-Hayah adhere to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Best Practice Guidelines to ensure that complaints are handled fairly and transparently. This process involves a thorough investigation of the alleged misconduct by the editorial team. Any submitted manuscript found to contain unethical practices will be rejected prior to publication, while published articles proven to involve misconduct will be retracted, with a formal notice linked to the original version.

The initial stage of handling such cases includes verifying the validity of the allegation and assessing whether it aligns with the definition of research misconduct. This step also involves determining whether the individuals making the allegation have any conflict of interest that could affect their report.

If there is a strong indication of research misconduct or other serious irregularities, the allegations are communicated to the corresponding author, who must respond on behalf of all co-authors with a detailed explanation. Once the response is received and evaluated, additional expert reviewers (such as statistical experts) may be consulted to assist in the assessment. If the investigation concludes that misconduct is unlikely, the journal may publish clarifications, additional analyses, or letters to the editor, accompanied by a correction notice to amend the published article.

Authors’ affiliated institutions are expected to conduct an appropriate and thorough investigation into any allegations of research misconduct. Ultimately, authors, journals, and institutions share a collective responsibility to maintain the accuracy and reliability of the academic record. By responding appropriately to ethical concerns and taking necessary actions—such as issuing corrections, retractions with replacement, or full retractions—El-Hayah: Journal of Islamic Studies remains committed to ensuring the validity, credibility, and integrity of its scholarly publications.