Author Guidelines

Al-Muqārana: Journal of Comparative Islamic Law is a peer-reviewed academic journal published by PT Adikara Cipta Aksa. The journal provides a platform for the publication of original research articles and conceptual studies in the fields of Islamic law, comparative Islamic jurisprudence, legal pluralism, Islamic legal institutions, contemporary Islamic legal issues, and the interaction between Islamic law and modern legal systems. The journal welcomes contributions from academics, researchers, legal practitioners, judges, policymakers, postgraduate students, and scholars of Islamic legal studies.

To ensure the highest standards of academic integrity, manuscripts submitted to Al-Muqārana must be original works that have not been previously published and are not under consideration by other journals. All submissions are subject to plagiarism screening and a double-blind peer-review process. Manuscripts must be written in English. Authors whose first language is not English are strongly encouraged to obtain professional language editing before submission.

The editorial team will only process manuscripts that comply with the journal’s formatting and submission requirements. Authors are advised to use the official manuscript template provided by the journal.

Article Format

Manuscripts should contain 4,000–7,500 words, including footnotes but excluding the bibliography. The manuscript should be organized in the following order:

  • Title
  • Author(s) Information
  • Abstract
  • Keywords
  • Introduction
  • Method (for research articles)
  • Results and Discussion
  • Conclusion
  • Acknowledgments (Optional)
  • References

The manuscript must be prepared using Candara font, 12 pt, 1.5 line spacing, and justified alignment. The first line of each paragraph should be indented by 1 cm.

Title

The title should be written in Candara, 18 pt, bold, with major words capitalized. It should accurately reflect the content of the manuscript and preferably contain no more than 14 words.

Author Name and Affiliation

The manuscript should include:

  • Full name of each author;
  • Institutional affiliation;
  • Country of affiliation;
  • Email address of each author;
  • ORCID ID (recommended).

Author information should appear directly below the title.

Abstract

The abstract must be written in English and should not exceed 200 words.

The abstract should briefly explain:

  • Background of the study;
  • Research objectives;
  • Research methodology;
  • Main findings;
  • Principal conclusions.

The abstract should be written in Candara 10 pt, single-spaced, and justified.

Keywords

Authors must provide 3–5 keywords or keyword phrases that accurately represent the content of the manuscript. Keywords should be separated by semicolons (;).

Introduction

The introduction should clearly explain the legal issue being examined and demonstrate its academic significance within the field of comparative Islamic law.

Background

The background section should explain the context and importance of the topic, review relevant literature, and identify the research gap that justifies the study.

Problem Statement

Authors should clearly formulate the legal problems or research questions addressed in the manuscript.

Research Objectives

The objectives of the study should be explicitly stated and aligned with the identified research questions.

Method

This section is mandatory for empirical and socio-legal studies and optional for purely normative legal research.

Authors should explain:

  • Research approach;
  • Sources of legal materials and/or data;
  • Data collection methods;
  • Data analysis techniques;
  • Methods of legal interpretation, where applicable.

The methodology should be sufficiently detailed to enable readers to understand how the research was conducted.

Results and Discussion

This section constitutes the core of the manuscript and should present findings and analysis systematically.

The discussion should:

  • Address the research questions;
  • Develop legal arguments supported by relevant theories and concepts;
  • Analyze Islamic legal sources, statutes, regulations, judicial decisions, fatwas, legal doctrines, or empirical findings where relevant;
  • Demonstrate the novelty and contribution of the study;
  • Compare findings with previous studies and legal traditions where appropriate.

Sub-headings may be used to improve readability and organization.

Conclusion

The conclusion should directly address the research objectives and summarize the principal findings.

Authors should avoid merely repeating the abstract or discussion. The conclusion should emphasize the contribution of the study and may include recommendations for future research, legal reform, judicial practice, or policy development.

References

Al-Muqārana adopts the Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition (Full Note) for footnotes and bibliography.

Authors are strongly encouraged to use reference management software such as:

  • Mendeley;
  • Zotero;
  • EndNote.

References should meet the following requirements:

  • All sources cited in footnotes must appear in the bibliography;
  • References must be arranged alphabetically;
  • At least 80% of references should come from scholarly sources such as journal articles, conference proceedings, theses, dissertations, books, and official legal documents;
  • Priority should be given to references published within the last 10 years, except for seminal works and primary legal sources;
  • Wikipedia, personal blogs, and non-academic websites should not be used as references.

Figures and Tables

Figures and tables should be placed as close as possible to the relevant discussion.

Requirements include:

  • Minimum resolution of 300 DPI;
  • Clear and readable format;
  • Consecutive numbering;
  • Appropriate titles and source citations;
  • Tables should use an open format without vertical lines.

Main Headings Structure

The manuscript should follow the numbering structure below:

1. Main Heading

1.1. Sub-heading

1.1.1. Sub-sub-heading

Further subdivisions should be avoided unless absolutely necessary.

Citation Style

All citations must be presented using footnotes in accordance with the Chicago Manual of Style (17th Edition, Full Note).

Book

Footnote:

Ahmad Hasan, The Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence (Kuala Lumpur: Islamic Book Trust, 2018), 45.

Bibliography:

Hasan, Ahmad. The Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence. Kuala Lumpur: Islamic Book Trust, 2018.

Journal Article

Footnote:

Muhammad Hashim Kamali, “Maqasid al-Shariah and Ijtihad as Instruments of Civilisational Renewal,” Islam and Civilisational Renewal 2, no. 2 (2011): 245–271.

Bibliography:

Kamali, Muhammad Hashim. “Maqasid al-Shariah and Ijtihad as Instruments of Civilisational Renewal.” Islam and Civilisational Renewal 2, no. 2 (2011): 245–271.

Submission Policy

By submitting a manuscript to Al-Muqārana, authors confirm that:

  • The manuscript is original and unpublished;
  • The manuscript is not under consideration by another journal;
  • All authors have approved the submission;
  • Academic and research ethics have been fully observed;
  • Any use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools has been disclosed in accordance with the Journal’s Policy on the Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI).

Manuscripts that do not comply with these guidelines may be returned to the authors prior to entering the peer-review process.