Post Publication Discussions

Post-Publication Discussions and Corrections

AL-ARBAH: Journal of Islamic Finance and Banking recognizes that scholarly debate does not end when an article is published. The journal welcomes constructive discussion of published work and is committed to correcting the scholarly record promptly and transparently when errors are found. This policy follows the core practices and guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

1. Post-Publication Discussion

Readers may comment on, question, or critique any article published in AL-ARBAH. Discussion may be submitted in two forms.

a. Letter to the Editor (Comment)

A short, evidence-based response to a published article, commonly up to 1,500 words and 10 references. It may:

  • raise methodological or analytical concerns;
  • offer an alternative interpretation of the findings;
  • provide new data or evidence that supports or challenges the article.

b. Direct inquiry to the editor

Concerns that are not intended for publication, for example possible errors in data, citations, or calculations, may be sent directly to the Editor-in-Chief.

Submissions should be sent through the journal’s OJS system or by email to the editorial office at [journal email address]. They must include:

  • the writer’s full name, affiliation, and contact details;
  • the title and DOI of the article being discussed;
  • a clear statement of the issue and supporting evidence.

Anonymous submissions are not published, but serious concerns raised anonymously will still be assessed if they are supported by specific evidence.

2. Handling Process

  1. Initial assessment. The editor reviews the comment or inquiry within 14 working days to determine whether it is relevant, substantive, and written in a professional and respectful tone.
  2. Author’s right to reply. If the comment is considered for publication, the original authors are invited to submit a response, normally within 30 days.
  3. Review. The editor may send the comment and the response to one or more independent reviewers, preferably reviewers of the original article.
  4. Decision and publication. Accepted comments and author responses are published together in the same issue, where possible, and are linked to the original article.

The journal does not publish comments that are defamatory, offensive, or personal attacks, or that are motivated mainly by competing interests.

3. Discussion on External Platforms

The journal is aware that published articles may be discussed on external platforms such as PubPeer, academic social networks, or social media. Where such discussion raises credible concerns about the validity or integrity of an AL-ARBAH article, the editor will treat it in the same way as a direct inquiry and follow the process in Section 2 and, where relevant, Section 4.

4. Corrections to the Scholarly Record

When an error or problem is found in a published article, the journal takes one of the following actions, depending on its nature and severity.

a. Correction (Erratum / Corrigendum)

A correction notice is published when an honest error affects part of the article but does not invalidate its main findings or conclusions. Examples include errors in:

  • author names or affiliations;
  • tables, figures, or calculations;
  • references.

The notice is linked to the original article. The corrected version is labeled, and the original remains available for transparency.

b. Expression of Concern

The editor may issue an expression of concern when there is serious doubt about the reliability or integrity of an article but the investigation is not yet conclusive. This applies, for example, while an institutional investigation is in progress or when the authors are unresponsive.

c. Retraction

An article is retracted when:

  • there is clear evidence that its findings are unreliable, whether through major error or misconduct such as data fabrication or falsification;
  • it involves plagiarism, duplicate publication, or unethical research;
  • it infringes copyright or other legal rights.

Retractions are handled according to COPE’s Retraction Guidelines. The retraction notice states the reason and who requested the retraction. The article remains online, clearly watermarked as “Retracted”, so that the scholarly record is preserved.

d. Removal

An article may be removed only in exceptional circumstances, such as a legal order, defamation, or a serious risk to individuals. In such cases, the bibliographic information and a notice explaining the removal remain online.

5. Requests by Authors

Authors who discover a significant error in their own published article must notify the editor promptly and cooperate in correcting or retracting it. The editor will decide on the appropriate form of correction. Changes to authorship after publication follow the journal’s Authorship Criteria and Authorship and Contributorship policies and require the written consent of all authors.

6. Version Control

AL-ARBAH publishes a single version of record for each article. Published articles are not altered silently. Any change after publication is made through a formal correction, expression of concern, or retraction notice, and the change is indicated clearly on the article page and in the PDF.

7. Allegations of Misconduct

Allegations of research or publication misconduct concerning published articles are handled in line with the journal’s Allegation of Research Misconducts policy and the relevant COPE flowcharts. Where necessary, the matter is referred to the authors’ institution(s). The journal treats all allegations confidentially and fairly, and gives authors the opportunity to respond before any decision is made.

8. Contact

All post-publication comments, inquiries, and correction requests should be addressed to:

Editor-in-Chief, AL-ARBAH: Journal of Islamic Finance and Banking
Department of Sharia Banking, Faculty of Islamic Economics and Business
Universitas Islam Negeri Walisongo Semarang, Indonesia
Email: [email protected]