Beyond Scopus: The Revival of the Indonesian Journal of Islamic Law and the Imperative of Scholarly Excellence
The revival of the Indonesian Journal of Islamic Law (IJIL), published by the Graduate School of Universitas Islam Negeri Kiai Haji Achmad Siddiq (UIN KHAS) Jember, offers an important lesson about the nature of academic publishing: a journal’s reputation is not built merely by securing international indexing, but by cultivating intellectual depth, editorial integrity, and a sustained contribution to the advancement of knowledge. After three years of publication stagnation and six delayed issues, IJIL successfully entered Scopus in 2026. This achievement represents more than an institutional milestone. It reflects the possibility of rebuilding an academic publication through systematic editorial reform, a clearly defined scholarly identity, and an unwavering commitment to quality. Yet, the most important question following this achievement is not how IJIL reached Scopus, but what it must do to remain worthy of the recognition.
The history of IJIL demonstrates that academic publishing requires more than an electronic submission system and a regular publication schedule. A journal must possess a coherent intellectual orientation, a credible editorial structure, and a commitment to scientific integrity. Since 2023, under the leadership of its Editor-in-Chief, Dr. H. Muhammad Fauzinudin Faiz, S.H.I., M.H.I., IJIL has undergone a comprehensive process of editorial reconstruction. The process involved restoring publication continuity, improving manuscript quality, strengthening peer review, and expanding international academic networks. These efforts culminated in national accreditation at SINTA 3 in 2025, followed by Scopus indexing in 2026. The achievement is particularly significant because it demonstrates that academic excellence is not an exclusive privilege of established international institutions. Journals published by Indonesian Islamic higher education institutions can also become part of global scholarly conversations, provided that they are managed with professionalism, intellectual seriousness, and a commitment to international standards.
Nevertheless, indexing should be understood as a means rather than an end. A journal may achieve international recognition, but its academic value ultimately depends on the quality of the research it publishes and the extent to which that research contributes to the development of knowledge. As IJIL moves forward, its most important responsibility is therefore to transform international recognition into sustained intellectual contribution. This requires a fundamental reconsideration of how scholarly quality is understood, evaluated, and maintained. Rather than treating indexing as the ultimate measure of success, journals must recognize that their lasting value emerges from their capacity to produce reliable knowledge, facilitate critical dialogue, and provide meaningful references for future research.
One of the most fundamental aspects of academic publishing is the quality of scholarly references. References are not merely technical requirements or decorative elements of academic writing. They constitute the intellectual foundation upon which research arguments are constructed, evaluated, and developed. A high-quality article does not simply present findings. It engages critically with existing scholarship, identifies unresolved questions, and establishes its contribution within a broader intellectual landscape. In this regard, the quality of references directly influences the strength of academic arguments. The use of relevant primary sources, recent scholarly literature, and foundational theoretical works enables researchers to situate their findings within established debates while identifying opportunities for further inquiry. For Islamic legal studies, this responsibility becomes particularly important. Research must engage with classical Islamic jurisprudence while remaining attentive to contemporary developments in legal theory, institutional practices, and the social realities of Muslim communities.
The challenge is not simply to accumulate references, but to use them critically. An article with an extensive bibliography may still lack intellectual depth if its references are disconnected from the research questions or merely reproduce existing arguments without meaningful engagement. Conversely, a carefully constructed argument supported by relevant and authoritative sources can contribute substantially to scholarly development. This understanding should inform the editorial philosophy of IJIL. The journal’s commitment to quality must be reflected not only in its peer-review procedures but also in the intellectual rigor of the articles it publishes. Scholarly references should function as instruments of critical engagement, enabling researchers to identify theoretical limitations, assess methodological developments, and formulate new perspectives that advance the field.
The internationalization of academic journals cannot be achieved solely by increasing the number of international authors or editorial board members. A journal must also establish a distinctive intellectual identity. IJIL has sought to develop its scholarly orientation through the study of Islamic law as a discursive and institutional phenomenon. This perspective moves beyond understanding Islamic law exclusively as a body of normative rules. Instead, it examines how Islamic legal knowledge is produced, interpreted, institutionalized, and contested within Muslim societies. Such an approach creates opportunities for interdisciplinary engagement with legal anthropology, sociology, political theory, gender studies, and postcolonial scholarship. It also provides a framework for examining contemporary questions concerning Islamic family law, judicial authority, legal transformation, gender justice, and religious authority in digital societies. The significance of this orientation lies in its ability to connect Islamic legal studies with broader international debates while maintaining its distinctive intellectual foundations.
The publication of Volume 9, Issue 1 (2026), involving 31 authors from 16 countries across five continents, illustrates the journal’s expanding international engagement. However, international participation must remain subordinate to scholarly quality. Academic reputation should never become a substitute for rigorous evaluation. Every manuscript must be assessed according to its originality, methodological soundness, argumentative strength, quality of references, and contribution to existing scholarship. International collaboration becomes meaningful when it generates intellectual exchange rather than merely increasing the geographical diversity of authorship.
The achievement of Scopus indexing also brings greater responsibility. International recognition requires a journal to maintain the standards that justified its inclusion. IJIL has adopted a double-blind peer-review system and publication policies informed by international ethical principles, including those of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). These mechanisms are essential, but ethical publishing cannot be reduced to procedural compliance. It requires editorial independence, transparent decision-making, responsible authorship, and a genuine commitment to protecting the integrity of the scholarly record. For Gus Faiz, the central challenge after achieving Scopus indexing is maintaining the trust that has been established. This perspective deserves particular attention because, in academic publishing, reputation is cumulative but fragile. A single compromised editorial decision can undermine the credibility built through years of work.
Consequently, the pursuit of higher rankings must never weaken the principles of editorial independence and scientific integrity. IJIL’s subsequent targets, including SINTA 1 accreditation and a potential advancement to Scopus Q1 in April 2027, should therefore be understood as opportunities to strengthen its scholarly contribution rather than merely improve its institutional standing. The pursuit of these targets must be accompanied by a sustained commitment to publication quality, rigorous peer review, and the development of research that can serve as a reliable reference for future scholarship.
The revival of IJIL offers a broader reflection on the future of academic publishing in Indonesia. For too long, the success of scholarly journals has often been measured primarily through accreditation levels, indexing status, and international rankings. Although these indicators remain important, they cannot fully capture the intellectual value of academic publishing. A journal’s true significance lies in its ability to produce reliable knowledge, facilitate critical dialogue, and provide meaningful references for future research. Scopus indexing may open the door to international visibility, but scholarly excellence determines whether a journal deserves to remain within the global academic conversation.
The experience of IJIL demonstrates that institutional limitations and publication stagnation need not become permanent obstacles. Through sustained editorial commitment, intellectual clarity, and collective responsibility, a journal can reconstruct its academic standing and expand its contribution to international scholarship. Ultimately, the revival of IJIL should not be remembered merely as the story of a journal that entered Scopus after years of stagnation. It should be understood as an invitation to rethink the purpose of academic publishing itself. The future of IJIL will depend not simply on how many articles it publishes or how highly it ranks, but on whether its scholarship becomes a meaningful reference for those seeking to understand Islamic law, Muslim societies, and the changing relationship between law, institutions, and social life. That is the real measure of academic excellence: not merely being indexed, but becoming intellectually indispensable.
The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Opinion Desk.