Submissions

Author Guidelines

Author Guidelines

Ahl al-Suffa Journal for Sufi Studies and Heritage

Ahl al-Suffa Journal for Sufi Studies and Heritage invites researchers and scholars to submit their original and distinguished research for publication. Please adhere to the following guidelines to ensure your manuscripts meet international academic publishing standards, and to comply with the Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition).

1. Scope of the Journal

The journal accepts scholarly articles in the following areas:

1. Sufi Studies:
• Intellectual and doctrinal foundations of Islamic Sufism.
• History of Sufism and its evolution over time.
• Sufi orders, schools, and chains of transmission.
• Prominent Sufi figures, their biographies, and works.
• Sufi practices and rituals.
• Sufism in literature, arts, and culture.
• Contemporary issues in Sufism.
2. Islamic Heritage Studies:
• Quranic sciences and exegesis.
• Hadith sciences and the Prophetic Sunnah.
• Jurisprudence, its principles, and objectives of Sharia.
• Creed, theology, and Islamic philosophy.
• Arabic language and literature.
• Islamic history and civilization.
• Manuscripts, inscriptions, and Islamic antiquities.
• Revival of heritage, renewal, and identity.
3. Interdisciplinary Studies:
• Relationship between Sufism and Sharia sciences.
• Sufism and modern humanities.
• Research methodologies in Sufi and heritage studies.
• Comparative studies between Islamic Sufism and other spiritual traditions.
• Interfaith and intercultural dialogue from a Sufi perspective.
• Sufism and contemporary challenges.

2. Types of Submissions Accepted

• Original research articles.
• Critical editions and studies of manuscripts.
• Translations of distinguished studies.
• Book and dissertation reviews.
• Scientific reports on conferences and seminars.

3. General Submission Requirements

1. Originality:
• Manuscripts must be original works not previously published or under consideration elsewhere.
2. Languages:
• The journal publishes manuscripts in Arabic and English.
3. Authorship Limit:
• A maximum of five authors is allowed per manuscript.
4. Research Ethics:
• Adherence to the highest ethical standards is required.
• A signed declaration confirming originality and absence of plagiarism must be provided.
5. Copyright:
• Copyright is transferred to the journal upon acceptance, while authors retain their moral rights.

4. Manuscript Preparation

1. Formatting:
• Arabic Manuscripts:
• Font: Traditional Arabic.
• Font Size: 14 pt for main text, 12 pt for footnotes.
• English Manuscripts:
• Font: Times New Roman.
• Font Size: 12 pt for main text, 10 pt for footnotes.
• Line Spacing: Single.
• Margins: 2.54 cm on all sides.
2. Title:
• Should be written in both Arabic and English, concise, and reflective of the content.
3. Abstract:
• Provide abstracts in both Arabic and English.
• Length: 150-250 words.
• Should include objectives, methodology, and key findings.
4. Keywords:
• Include 3-5 keywords in both languages.
5. Manuscript Structure:
• Introduction.
• Literature Review.
• Research Methodology.
• Results and Discussion.
• Conclusion and Recommendations.
• References.
6. Citation and Footnotes:
• The journal follows the Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition).
• Footnotes should be numbered consecutively at the bottom of each page.
• References should be listed alphabetically at the end.
7. Tables and Figures:
• Number tables and figures consecutively.
• Provide a caption above each table or figure.
8. Quotations:
• Quotations less than 40 words should be enclosed within the text using quotation marks.
• Longer quotations should be presented in an indented paragraph.
9. Manuscript Length:
• Manuscripts should not exceed 12,000 words.
• Book reviews should not exceed 3,000 words.

5. Referencing Guidelines (Chicago Style)
6. In Footnotes:

• Books:
• Format:
• First Name Last Name, Book Title, edition number (Place of Publication: Publisher, Year), page number.
• Example:
• Annemarie Schimmel, Mystical Dimensions of Islam, 35th anniversary ed. (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2011), 98.
• Journal Articles:
• Format:
• First Name Last Name, "Article Title," Journal Name volume number, issue number (Year): page number.
• Example:
• Alexander Knysh, "Sufism as an Explanatory Paradigm: The Issue of the Motivations of Sufi Resistance Movements in Western and Russian Scholarship," Die Welt des Islams 42, no. 2 (2002): 140.
• Theses and Dissertations:
• Format:
• First Name Last Name, "Title of Thesis" (Degree, Institution, Year), page number.
• Example:
• Layla Al-Zubaidi, "Sufi Orders and Their Social Influence in Modern Egypt" (MA thesis, American University in Cairo, 2015), 67.
• Online Sources:
• Format:
• First Name Last Name, "Article Title," Website Name, Publication Date, Access Date, URL.
• Example:
• Carl W. Ernst, "Sufism, Islam, and Globalization in the Contemporary World," Academia.edu, 2018, accessed August 20, 2020, https://www.academia.edu/12345678/Sufism_Globalization.

1. In Reference List:

• Books:
• Format:
• Last Name, First Name. Book Title. Edition number. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year.
• Example:
• Schimmel, Annemarie. Mystical Dimensions of Islam. 35th anniversary ed. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2011.
• Journal Articles:
• Format:
• Last Name, First Name. "Article Title." Journal Name volume number, issue number (Year): page range.
• Example:
• Knysh, Alexander. "Sufism as an Explanatory Paradigm: The Issue of the Motivations of Sufi Resistance Movements in Western and Russian Scholarship." Die Welt des Islams 42, no. 2 (2002): 139-173.
• Theses and Dissertations:
• Format:
• Last Name, First Name. "Title of Thesis." Degree, Institution, Year.
• Example:
• Al-Zubaidi, Layla. "Sufi Orders and Their Social Influence in Modern Egypt." MA thesis, American University in Cairo, 2015.
• Online Sources:
• Format:
• Last Name, First Name. "Article Title." Website Name, Publication Date. Accessed Access Date. URL.
• Example:
• Ernst, Carl W. "Sufism, Islam, and Globalization in the Contemporary World." Academia.edu, 2018. Accessed August 20, 2020. https://www.academia.edu/12345678/Sufism_Globalization.

6. Book Review Guidelines

• Reviews should be between 1,500 and 3,000 words.
• Must adhere to the Chicago Style for citations.
• Provide a critical analysis of the book's content and academic contribution.
• Include the following information:
1. Full title of the book.
2. Author's full name.
3. Year of publication.
4. Publisher.
5. Total number of pages.
6. ISBN number.
• Note: The review should not merely summarize the book but critically engage with its main arguments and contributions.

7. Transliteration

• Use the journal's approved transliteration system for Arabic terms.
• Example:
• Arabic Letters and Their Transliteration:
• 

8. Submission and Peer Review Process

1. Submission:
• Manuscripts should be submitted via the journal's website.
• Include a cover letter confirming originality.
2. Peer Review:
• Manuscripts undergo double-blind peer review by specialized reviewers.
• Review duration: 4-6 weeks.
3. Revisions:
• Authors have one month to make requested revisions.
4. Final Decision:
• Authors will be notified of the publication decision after the review process.

9. Ethical Policies

• Plagiarism: Manuscripts found to contain plagiarism will be rejected.
• Conflict of Interest: Authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest.
• Intellectual Property: Authors must respect the intellectual property rights of others.