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Publish on IRIC

Publish on IRIC

Islamic Research and Information Center is dedicated to the publication of original content on relevant topics that is academic, authentic, and accessible. Papers that relate to Islam and the West issues, and those that introduce Islam and its cultural heritage and civilization, explore challenges and opportunities of Muslims in the West, remain the focus of IRIC’s academic line of inquiry .
By serving as a platform for scholarly discourse and elevating the voices of many talented scholars and academics within the Muslim community, IRIC aims to inspire all Muslims to see the value of their religion and ultimately spur Islamically-rooted contribution within the broader society. As such, every paper submitted to IRIC must fulfill one or more of the following research goals:

A) Dismantling Doubts

What Islam isn’t. Refuting claims made against Islam, contextualizing texts or issues that have been problematized by Islamophobes, and offering frameworks to refute common misconceptions.

B) Nurturing Conviction

What Islam is. Offering content on how to spiritually and intellectually anchor and strengthen belief. This involves an Islamic equivalent to systematic theology. The goal is to reintroduce Allah and His Messenger (PBUH & HP) to people, instill strong faith in divine texts, root faith in the hearts, and offer spiritual guidance on how to practice in a way that keeps those roots nourished.

C) Inspiring Contribution

What Islam does. Telling the story of Islam properly, historically, and in the present. Reclaiming the glorious past of contribution and contextualizing when Muslims fell short of Islamic goals. This also includes discussions on ethics and what is unique about what Islam can offer to the world today. This represents the branches and fruits of the tree of faith that provide shade and benefit to humanity.
Contributions across all academic disciplines are welcome. We particularly encourage submissions in the following research areas: Faith, Shariah, Politics and Practical Theology, Psychology and Mental Health, History, Nature and Science, Family and Community and Muslim Community Data and Trends.

Application Submission Process

To have a paper considered for publication, we invite interested authors to first submit a brief 1-2 page proposal for feedback from our editorial review team. All submissions must be original work and should not have been published elsewhere previously nor be under consideration by another publication.

Proposals should

  • Be at least 400-500 words
  • Align with and advance at least one component of our BASIC framework (a new holistic tool created to measure Islamic religiosity)
  • Explain the aim and motivation behind the work and its overall significance
  • Demonstrate how the paper aligns with IRIC’s research goals
  • Detail the central arguments and methodological approaches
  • Provide tentative conclusions
  • List out the key sources/literature/evidence that will be used to support the findings (both from traditional and western academic paradigms)
  • Contain practical (spiritual) recommendations for how one might implement this knowledge in their day-to-day lives where relevant

Once a proposal is submitted, our Editorial Review Board will review the submission for:

  • Alignment with IRIC’s research priorities, mission, and scope of orthodoxy
  • Engagement with the foundational Islamic sources (i.e., Quran and Sunnah) and the dominant opinions within traditional Muslim scholarship where relevant
  • Author’s credentials, preparation, and training in the subject matter
  • Breadth of primary and secondary literature to be engaged (in both traditional and western paradigms where appropriate)
  • Suitability of research methods as appropriate for the discipline
  • Rigor of argumentation and use of sufficient evidence to support stated claims
  • Accessibility and relevance to a general educated audience
  • Quality of language, style, grammar, and formatting

If a proposal is accepted, the author will be asked to submit a full-length paper that adheres to our aforementioned evaluation criteria and formatting guidelines below. A team of expert peer reviewers, including members of our Editorial Review Board, will thoroughly review this paper before a final decision is made. Once all revisions have been accepted and the manuscript is approved, the paper will then move forward for onboarding toward publication.

Formatting Guidelines

Font for main text
  • Times New Roman
  • Size 14 font with 1.15 line spacing
  • 1-inch margins
  • Fully justified

 

Font for footnotes
  • Times New Roman
  • Size 10 font with 1.00 line spacing
  • Left-justified
  • Transliteration of Arabic terms must adhere to the American Library Association – Library of Congress (ALA-LC). See Romanization table guidelines
 
Reference style
  • Footnotes must be in accordance with Chicago Style.