Policy
“AL-HAYAT Research Journal (AHRJ)”
ISSN: 3006-4767 (Online), ISSN: 3006-4759 (Print)
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No. AHRJ/documents/2025/05
Policies of AL-HAYAT Research Journal (AHRJ)
Journal Overview
The AL-HAYAT Research Journal (AHRJ) is a quarterly, trilingual (English, Arabic, Urdu), double-blind, peer-reviewed, open-access journal, available online (ISSN 3006-4767) and in print (ISSN 3006-4759). AHRJ promotes interreligious harmony, multidisciplinary research, academic excellence, intellectual exchange, and open-access knowledge while empowering emerging scholars. It bridges academia and society, fostering understanding and global peace by providing a platform for critical.
Aims and Objectives
AL-HAYAT Research Journal (AHRJ) aims to provide an inclusive and credible platform for scholars in Social Sciences, Arts & Humanities, and Religious Studies to disseminate original research and contribute to global academic discourse.
The journal follows a rigorous double-blind peer-review process to ensure the publication of high-quality, original, and ethically sound research. As an open-access journal, AHRJ promotes unrestricted global access to scholarly knowledge. By publishing in English, Arabic, and Urdu, the journal enhances multilingual accessibility and encourages cross-cultural academic dialogue. Its quarterly publication schedule provides regular opportunities for scholarly contribution.
Scope of the Journal
AHRJ welcomes original research articles in, but not limited to, the following areas:
Social Sciences
Sociology, Psychology, Economics, Political Science, Anthropology, Geography, History, Criminology, Gender Studies, Social Policy, and related disciplines.
Arts & Humanities
Literature, Philosophy, Linguistics, Fine Arts, Cultural Studies, Media Studies, Journalism, Ethnography, and related fields.
Religious Studies
Islamic Studies, Theology, Comparative Religion, Qur’anic Studies, Hadith Studies, Fiqh, Interfaith Studies, Religious Ethics, and Sociology of Religion
Peer Review Process
Each submitted manuscript undergoes a multi-stage review process:
- Initial Editorial Screening (1–2 weeks)
The editorial board evaluates the manuscript for scope relevance, formatting, ethical compliance, plagiarism screening, and anonymization. - External Double-Blind Peer Review (2–3 weeks)
Manuscripts passing the initial screening are sent to a minimum of two PhD-qualified reviewers with expertise in the relevant field. Reviewers assess originality, methodology, academic quality, and relevance. - Revision Stage (2–3 weeks)
Authors receive reviewer feedback and must submit revised manuscripts within the specified timeframe. - Final Editorial Evaluation (1–2 weeks)
Revised manuscripts are reviewed to ensure compliance with reviewer recommendations before final acceptance.
Accepted articles are published online in the last weeks of March, June, September, and December. National authors are charged an Article Processing Fee of PKR 15,000, while international authors are charged USD 75. The Editorial Board may grant partial or full fee waivers to deserving authors upon written request and subject to approval.
Reviewer Selection Criteria
Reviewers are selected based on the following criteria:
- Possession of a PhD degree in the relevant discipline
- Proven research publications in reputable academic journals
- No institutional or personal affiliation with the author(s)
Resubmission and Appeals Policy
Resubmission
Authors must revise and resubmit manuscripts according to reviewer comments within the given deadline. If revisions are inadequate, further revisions may be requested.
Appeals
Authors may appeal editorial decisions by contacting the Editor at editor@hrj.com.pk, providing a reasoned and evidence-based justification. The Editorial Board’s decision on appeals is final.
Language Editing Policy
Authors are responsible for ensuring linguistic accuracy. Manuscripts should be free from grammatical, spelling, and syntactical errors. Authors whose native language is not English, Arabic, or Urdu are encouraged to seek professional language editing prior to submission.
Archiving and Preservation Policy
Self-Archiving
Authors retain copyright and may archive preprints and postprints in institutional or personal repositories with proper citation.
Digital Preservation
Journal content is preserved on the journal’s website and through recognized digital archiving services, including archive.org and Portico, to ensure long-term accessibility.
Copyright and Privacy Policy
Open Access License
All articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), allowing use, distribution, and reproduction with proper attribution.
Privacy
Personal data of authors and reviewers is used exclusively for journal operations and is not shared with third parties.
Plagiarism Policy
Plagiarism Detection
AHRJ uses Turnitin for plagiarism screening. Manuscripts with similarity exceeding 19% excluding bibliography are returned for revision. Serious plagiarism may result in rejection or retraction and notification of the author’s institution.
Self-Plagiarism
Unjustified or excessive reuse of previously published work without proper citation is not permitted. Any reused material must be clearly cited and academically justified.
Conflict of Interest / Competing Interest Policy
All participants in the publication process—including authors, reviewers, editors, and staff—must disclose any financial, personal, institutional, or intellectual conflicts of interest that may influence objectivity.
Disclosed conflicts are evaluated by the Editor-in-Chief, and appropriate measures are taken to ensure impartial decision-making.
Editorial and Advisory Board Conflicts
Editorial and advisory board members must declare conflicts related to submitted manuscripts. Members with conflicts are excluded from editorial decisions involving the affected manuscripts.
Handling Conflicts of Interest
Conflicts are reviewed confidentially and managed through reassignment of reviewers or editors, or by seeking independent expert opinions. Relevant disclosures may be published where appropriate.
Corrections, Retractions, and Withdrawals
AHRJ follows COPE guidelines.
- Corrections: Published as errata or corrigenda
- Retractions: Issued for serious ethical or academic violations
- Withdrawals: Allowed prior to publication with valid justification
All notices are clearly linked to the original article.
Research Misconduct Policy
AHRJ addresses fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, duplicate publication, and data manipulation in accordance with COPE standards.
Process
- Confidential reporting mechanism
- Preliminary assessment
- Independent investigation
- Transparent outcomes and sanctions
- Fair appeals process
Editors and Chief Editors Code of Conduct
Editors are expected to uphold:
- Impartiality and fairness
- Confidentiality
- Editorial independence
- Transparency and accountability
- Ethical integrity
- Continuous professional development
Manuscript Submission Guidelines
AHRJ is a quarterly, double-blind, peer-reviewed journal accepting unsolicited manuscripts.
Submission Process
Manuscripts must be submitted via email or OJS platform. Author details should appear only in submission metadata. A Turnitin similarity report is mandatory.
Formatting Requirements
General Format
- MS Word, A4 size
- English: Centaur (12 normal, 12 bold headings)
- Urdu: Jameel Noori Nastaleeq
- Arabic: Sakka Majjala (13 normal, 13 bold headings)
Article Structure
- Abstract (150–200 words + keywords)
- Introduction
- Literature Review
- Research Questions
- Research Methodology
- Results / Conclusions
- Recommendations (if applicable)
References
APA style (preferred); Chicago style accepted where discipline requires. Endnotes may be used.
Article Processing Charges (APC)
National Authors
- Processing Charges: PKR 5,000
- Publication Charges: PKR 10,000
- Total: PKR 15,000
International Authors
- Processing Charges: PKR 5,000
- Publication Charges: USD 75
Articles with at least one international affiliation are treated as international submissions.
