Manuscript Types

Hayula accepts four types of manuscripts, each of approximately 5,000–10,000 words, including references. Authors should choose the type that best fits their work and indicate it when submitting through the online system. All types use the same template and main headings (see Manuscript Structure), but the content expected under each heading differs by type.

1. Research Article

Reports original empirical research, using qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods, that makes a clear contribution to multidisciplinary Islamic studies.

  • Research Method: Research design, context, participants or data sources, data collection procedures, and analytical techniques, described in sufficient detail to allow evaluation and replication.
  • Research Finding: Results presented objectively and systematically, supported by tables, figures, excerpts, or statistical analyses where appropriate.
  • Ethics: Research involving human participants must describe ethical approval or informed consent procedures. Informants should be identified by codes or pseudonyms.

2. Conceptual/Theoretical Article

Develops, critiques, or extends concepts, theories, or frameworks through rigorous analysis of existing theory, literature, and classical or contemporary Islamic texts, without collecting new empirical data. The article must advance a clear and original argument rather than summarize existing ideas.

  • Research Method: The analytical approach (e.g., philosophical, hermeneutical, textual, comparative, or uṣūl al-fiqh-based analysis), the primary and secondary sources examined, and how they were selected and interpreted.
  • Research Finding: The proposed argument, concept, model, or framework, developed step by step from the analysis.
  • Discussion: Positioning of the argument against existing theories, its limitations, and its theoretical and practical implications.

3. Literature Review Article

Synthesizes existing research on a clearly defined question or topic, for example through a systematic review, scoping review, integrative review, or bibliometric analysis. The review should go beyond summarizing studies by identifying patterns, gaps, debates, and directions for future research.

  • Title: Should indicate the type of review where applicable (e.g., “A systematic literature review”, “A bibliometric analysis”).
  • Research Method: How the literature was identified, selected, and analyzed, such as the databases searched, search terms, inclusion and exclusion criteria, and method of synthesis.
  • Research Finding: The synthesis of the reviewed studies. Systematic reviews should include a PRISMA 2020 flow diagram, and scoping reviews a PRISMA-ScR flow diagram. Other review types should explain how the reviewed literature was selected.

4. Case Study

Provides an in-depth examination of a specific, bounded case, such as an institution, community, program, policy, event, or figure, within its real-life context. The case should be connected to broader theoretical or practical debates in Islamic studies.

  • Research Method: Justification for selecting the case, the boundaries of the case (setting, period, actors), data sources (e.g., interviews, observation, documents), and analytical techniques. The use of multiple data sources is encouraged.
  • Research Finding: A rich, systematic account of the case organized around the research questions.
  • Discussion: Analytical lessons drawn from the case and their relevance beyond the specific context.
  • Ethics: Informed consent from participants. Individuals and, where necessary, institutions should be anonymized.