Aim and Scope

The Online Journal of Research in Islamic Studies (RIS) is committed to the advancement of rigorous and methodologically sound scholarship rooted in the intellectual, textual, legal, and civilizational traditions of Islam. The journal serves as a platform for original research that deepens understanding of Islamic knowledge systems, engages critically with classical and contemporary scholarship, and contributes meaningfully to academic discourse within the field of Islamic studies.

RIS primarily publishes research in the following core domains:

1. Qur’anic and Hadith Studies
Studies focusing on exegesis (tafsīr), Qur’anic sciences (ʿulūm al-Qurʾān), Hadith sciences (ʿulūm al-ḥadīth), textual analysis, transmission history, hermeneutics, and interpretive methodologies, including both classical scholarship and contemporary approaches.

2. Islamic Theology
Research addressing ʿaqīdah, kalām, doctrinal development, theological debates, and intellectual responses to philosophical and ideological challenges across different periods of Islamic thought.

3. Islamic Law (Sharīʿah & Fiqh)
Scholarly works on jurisprudence, legal theory (uṣūl al-fiqh), comparative fiqh, legal reasoning, maqāṣid al-sharīʿah, and the application of Islamic legal principles in historical and contemporary contexts.

4. Islamic History and Civilization
Studies examining political, social, cultural, intellectual, and institutional developments in Muslim societies, including Sīrah studies, historical sources, and civilizational contributions of Islam across regions and eras.

5. Islamic Ethics and Philosophy
Research on moral philosophy, ethical theory in Islam, spiritual and intellectual traditions, metaphysics, epistemology, and the interaction between Islamic philosophy and other intellectual traditions.

Beyond these foundational areas, RIS also welcomes well-grounded contemporary studies that engage current issues affecting Muslim societies, provided such analyses are framed through Islamic epistemological, ethical, or jurisprudential perspectives. These may include discussions related to education, science and technology, environment, social change, governance, or other modern developments, so long as Islamic intellectual frameworks remain central rather than peripheral to the inquiry.

Interdisciplinary contributions are considered where they demonstrate substantive engagement with Islamic sources, concepts, and scholarly traditions, and where Islamic studies constitute the primary analytical lens.

RIS accepts manuscripts in English, Malay, and Arabic, supporting scholarly exchange across linguistic and regional contexts. All submissions are evaluated for originality, analytical depth, methodological rigor, and relevance to the journal’s scope.