AZWA: Journal of Islamic Education is committed to upholding the highest standards of transparency, integrity, and ethical conduct in scholarly publishing. This policy outlines the definitions, disclosure requirements, and procedures for managing conflicts of interest involving authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher. The journal adheres to the Core Practices established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

---

Definition of Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest arises when personal, financial, professional, institutional, or academic relationships could influence, or reasonably be perceived to influence, an individual’s objectivity, integrity, or judgment in the research, review, or publication process.

Types of Potential Conflicts

All parties involved in the publication process must disclose any potential conflicts, including but not limited to:

• Financial Interests: research funding, grants, employment, consultancy, stock ownership, or other financial relationships related to the research.
• Personal Relationships: family ties or close personal relationships with individuals involved in the manuscript.
• Academic or Professional Relationships: collaborations, supervisory relationships, or institutional affiliations that may affect impartiality.
• Institutional or Organizational Interests: affiliations with institutions or organizations that may benefit from the research outcomes.
• Intellectual Property: patents, copyrights, or proprietary interests related to the submitted work.

---

Disclosure and Management Procedures

• Authors must disclose all relevant conflicts of interest at the time of manuscript submission. If a conflict is identified after publication, authors must promptly notify the editorial office.
• Reviewers must decline review invitations if a conflict could compromise their objectivity and must report any emerging conflicts to the Editor.
• Editors and Editorial Staff must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest. An alternative editor will be assigned to ensure impartial decision-making.
• The Publisher ensures that editorial decisions remain independent and are not influenced by commercial or institutional interests.

Transparency and Publication of Disclosures

All declared conflicts of interest will be transparently published alongside the article when relevant. If no conflicts are declared, a statement confirming the absence of competing interests will be included.

Policy Review

This policy is periodically reviewed to ensure alignment with international best practices in publication ethics. Any updates will be communicated through the journal’s official website.