Journal of Islamic Marketing: Scopus, Scope & Submission Guide

Quick Answer: What Is the Journal of Islamic Marketing?

The Journal of Islamic Marketing, abbreviated by Emerald as JIMA, is a peer-reviewed marketing journal published by Emerald Publishing. Emerald describes it as the first journal dedicated to examining marketing's relationship with Islam, in both theory and practice, across Muslim-majority and minority geographies.

Its scope extends across marketing and related sub-disciplines, with room for cross-disciplinary research when the paper remains meaningful to a marketing readership and clearly integrates Islam or Muslim consumers, institutions, practices or markets. The journal's ISSN is 1759-0833 and eISSN is 1759-0841. The supplied Scopus source record is 21100236016.

Researchers considering JIMA should verify three things immediately before submission: current indexing/metrics, the latest author instructions, and close fit with recently published papers. A manuscript should not be selected for JIMA merely because it mentions a Muslim population; the marketing contribution and the Islamic/Muslim connection need to be central and sustained.

Key Takeaways

• Publisher: Emerald Publishing.
• Core focus: marketing scholarship connected explicitly with Islam and Muslims.
• Scopus: Emerald lists JIMA as ranked by Scopus; supplied Scopus Source ID: 21100236016.
• 2025 metrics: CiteScore 11.3; Journal Impact Factor 4.7; five-year Impact Factor 5.1.
• Peer review: double-anonymous peer review.
• Typical length: 4,000–9,500 words, including the structured abstract, references and text in tables/figures/appendices, with Emerald's stated allowance of 250 words per figure or table.
• Abstract: structured, with required Purpose, Design/methodology/approach, Findings and Originality headings; maximum 250 words including keywords and article classification.
• Open access: hybrid/gold OA option after acceptance plus Emerald's green self-archiving route; authors should verify the current APC before choosing gold OA.

Journal Information at a Glance

Metric caution: journal indicators change by reporting year. For university, promotion, funding or PhD requirements, record the metric year and category rather than citing a bare number.

What This Page Covers

• Aims, scope and representative research areas
• Scopus and Clarivate indexing context
• Current metrics and publication-performance data reported by Emerald
• Article types, manuscript structure, word limits and Harvard references
• ScholarOne submission and double-anonymous peer review
• Open-access options, APC context and ethics policies
• A practical journal-fit framework and pre-submission checklist
• Ethical Contentxprtz support for manuscript readiness

Methodology and Sources

This profile prioritises the official Emerald journal page and author guidelines, the supplied Scopus source record, and Emerald's official open-access information. The journal page was checked for editorial leadership, scope, article types, submission requirements, metrics, peer review and timing data. Metrics, fees, indexing, editorial teams and submission systems can change, so authors should re-check the official pages immediately before submission.

Journal of Islamic Marketing Aims and Scope

JIMA covers marketing and associated sub-disciplines while allowing cross-disciplinary work because Islamic marketing research often intersects with finance, consumption, culture, ethics, tourism, food systems and social identity. The decisive editorial requirement is that the work should speak to a marketing audience and should clearly articulate its connection with Islam and Muslims throughout the manuscript.

Emerald's stated areas of interest include development of marketing theory, practice and research methods; marketing of Islamic financial products and services; halal food, drink, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, toiletries and supply chains; arts, fashion, lifestyle, entertainment and sport; hospitality and spiritual or health tourism; religiosity and Muslim rituals; society, interfaith, ethnocentrism, multiculturalism and cross-culture; and Islamic codes of conduct and ethics.

Representative research themes that may fit

Based on that scope, potentially suitable themes include:

• Halal branding, trust, certification and consumer decision-making
• Islamic banking, takaful and financial-services marketing
• Muslim consumer identity, religiosity and marketplace behaviour
• Halal supply-chain communication and authenticity signals
• Digital and social-media marketing to Muslim consumers
• Islamic fashion, modest fashion and lifestyle consumption
• Halal tourism, hospitality and destination marketing
• Cross-cultural comparisons involving Muslim consumer segments
• Ethics, responsible marketing and Islamic codes of conduct
• Service quality and customer experience in Islamic-market contexts
• Brand communities, influencers and religious-cultural meaning
• Retailing, e-commerce and platform adoption in halal markets
• Sustainability and responsible consumption viewed through Islamic values
• Marketing theory development that uses Islam or Muslim markets as a substantive context

These are journal-fit examples, not an exhaustive official topic list. A paper can still be unsuitable if the Islamic element is incidental, the marketing contribution is weak, or the intended audience is primarily outside marketing.

Current Indexing, Metrics and Academic Visibility

Emerald currently lists JIMA as ranked by Scopus and abstracted/indexed in the Emerging Sources Citation Index, as well as the British Library and ReadCube Discover. The supplied source record identifies Scopus Source ID 21100236016.

On the journal page reviewed in August 2026, Emerald displays a 2025 CiteScore of 11.3 and a 2026 CiteScore Tracker of 10.1. The tracker is updated monthly and is not the same as a final annual CiteScore. Emerald also displays a 2025 Journal Impact Factor of 4.7 and a 2025 five-year Impact Factor of 5.1.

The page reviewed does not state a current SJR, SNIP or a single current Scopus quartile. Researchers who need those indicators should use the latest applicable Scopus/SCImago data and record the year and category, because a journal can have different rankings across categories and reporting cycles.

What the metrics mean for journal selection

Metrics describe citation performance, not manuscript fit or guaranteed acceptance. For a PhD scholar, the more important question is whether the institution recognises the relevant database and reporting year. For an author seeking the right readership, the journal's recent article themes and scope may matter more than a single citation indicator.

Publisher and Editorial Leadership

JIMA is published by Emerald Publishing. The official journal page currently lists Professor Jonathan A.J. Wilson, PhD of Regent's University London as Editor-in-Chief, with Professor Mohamed M. Battour and Dr Saloomeh Tabari as Deputy Editors-in-Chief. Emerald also lists a geographically diverse team of associate editors and advisory-board members.

Editorial personnel can change. Authors should use the live editorial-team tab when contacting the journal or assessing current leadership.

Types of Articles Published

JIMA's scope statement welcomes quantitative and qualitative empirical work, conceptual and theory-driven papers, literature reviews, case studies, book reviews, executive interviews and thought pieces. In the ScholarOne classification process, Emerald lists Research Article, Case Study, Article Review, Book Review and Executive Interview as selectable paper types, alongside categories such as research paper, viewpoint, technical paper, conceptual paper, case study, literature review and general review.

The practical implication is that JIMA is methodologically open, but not thematically unrestricted. A sophisticated method does not compensate for weak alignment with marketing and the journal's Islam/Muslim focus.

Who Should Consider Submitting?

JIMA may be relevant to marketing researchers, PhD scholars, academics and practitioners whose work makes a clear scholarly contribution to marketing while substantively engaging with Islam, Muslim consumers, Islamic markets, halal systems or related socio-cultural and institutional settings.

A strong candidate manuscript normally has four features: a marketing-centred research question, an explicit Islamic/Muslim dimension, a defensible theoretical or practical contribution, and a design appropriate to the question. Researchers from adjacent disciplines can also fit when their paper clearly explains why marketing scholars need the findings.

How to Decide Whether Your Manuscript Fits JIMA

Practical journal-fit checklist

• Does my manuscript fall within the stated marketing scope?
• Is the link with Islam and Muslims clear throughout, not only in the introduction?
• Have I reviewed several recent JIMA papers with related themes or methods?
• Can I state the paper's theoretical and/or practical contribution in two or three sentences?
• Does my selected article type match the journal's options?
• Can I satisfy the 4,000–9,500 word requirement and structured-abstract rules?
• Does my university accept the journal's current indexing status for my purpose?
• Have I verified current fees and open-access requirements?

Journal of Islamic Marketing Submission Guidelines

JIMA submissions are made through the journal's ScholarOne editorial system accessed from Emerald's official journal page. Emerald explicitly states that submission should be completed directly by the author(s), not by email and not through a third-party proxy.

Core manuscript requirements

• File format: Microsoft Word is required for the article file. A PDF can accompany it but cannot be the only file. LaTeX may be used with an accompanying PDF.
• Length: 4,000–9,500 words including the structured abstract, references, text in tables/figures and appendices; allow 250 words per figure or table.
• Structured abstract: maximum 250 words in total including keywords and article classification. Required headings are Purpose, Design/methodology/approach, Findings and Originality. Research limitations/implications, Practical implications and Social implications are optional where relevant.
• Keywords: up to 12 short, appropriate keywords.
• References: one of the recognised Harvard styles; Emerald's own Harvard format is acceptable. DOI information should be included where available.
• Funding: external research funding and the funder's role must be acknowledged.
• Author details: each contributing author needs a ScholarOne account; authorship should be agreed before submission.
• ORCID: Emerald asks authors to add their ORCID during submission.
• Tables: submitted in a separate file, numbered consecutively in Roman numerals and positioned in the main manuscript using clear callouts.
• Figures: high-quality electronic files, numbered consecutively with captions and appropriate permissions/credits.

Submission sequence

1. Confirm scope and article-type fit.
2. Prepare the manuscript and separate required files.
3. Check the structured abstract, keywords, references and declarations.
4. Use the official Emerald/ScholarOne submission link.
5. Ensure all authors have approved authorship and submission.
6. Receive the automated confirmation and manuscript number.
7. Track the paper through the official submission system.

Peer-Review Process and Timelines

JIMA uses double-anonymous peer review. Emerald states that submissions are first screened by the editorial office and may be declined or returned if they do not fit submission policies, aims and scope, or if language/manuscript quality is too low. Suitable manuscripts proceed into editorial and reviewer assessment, revision and final editorial decision.

Emerald's metrics section reports a 100-day time to first decision for submissions between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025, and 75 days from acceptance to publication based on the previous 12 months, last updated April 2025. These are historical averages, not promises for an individual paper. Separately, the author-guidelines text states a general editorial goal of informing authors of a first decision within 60 days; because these two publisher statements use different definitions/data displays, authors should treat the current journal dashboard as the operative metric and expect individual timelines to vary.

The journal's officially reported acceptance rate is 23.9% for submissions between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025. This is descriptive, not a probability calculator: acceptance depends on scope, quality, novelty, ethics, reviewers and editorial judgement.

Publication Ethics and Generative-AI Policy

Emerald states that JIMA follows its research and publishing ethics framework and closely follows COPE guidance. Authors are responsible for originality, accurate authorship, conflicts of interest, permissions, ethical approval where required, informed consent and transparent research conduct. Manuscripts must not be under consideration elsewhere, and Emerald may use Crossref Similarity Check.

Emerald's current AI policy is particularly important. Large language models cannot be credited as authors. The publisher states that generative-AI copywriting that creates new submission material is not permitted, while AI-assisted copy-editing of an author's own original existing work may be permitted when used responsibly and transparently under Emerald's policy. Authors should read the live policy before submission because publisher rules can evolve.

For researchers using professional editing, the safest approach is to preserve author ownership of the ideas, analysis, evidence and argument, and use editing for clarity, organisation, grammar, consistency and journal compliance—not for fabricated data, invented citations or undisclosed ghost authorship.

Open Access and Publication Fees

JIMA offers a gold open-access route after acceptance and Emerald also provides green self-archiving. For gold OA, the published version is made open under a Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 licence. Emerald's green route allows the author accepted manuscript to be made openly available after official publication without an embargo.

Emerald's general hybrid-journal APC page currently lists £3,222 / $4,351 / €3,710 plus VAT where applicable. Because APC schedules, agreements, vouchers and waivers can change—and because a publisher-wide price page may be updated independently of an individual journal—authors should confirm the exact JIMA amount in the editorial system or official APC list before selecting gold OA.

Common Reasons a Manuscript May Be Unsuitable

The journal does not publish an official breakdown of rejection reasons, but its scope and submission rules make several risks clear. A paper may struggle if it sits outside marketing, treats Islam or Muslim identity as incidental, does not articulate a contribution, uses a weak design, does not comply with the structured-abstract/format requirements, or presents language that obscures the research.

As a general publication-readiness principle, authors should also check for unsupported conclusions, incomplete ethics declarations, inaccurate references, excessive similarity, unclear tables/figures and a weak response to reviewer comments. These are not JIMA-specific rejection statistics; they are practical risks that can reduce editorial readiness.

Practical Journal-Fit Examples

Strong scope match

A PhD study tests how halal certification trust affects purchase intention and brand loyalty across two Muslim-majority markets. Marketing theory, consumer behaviour and the Islamic-market context are all central. The author should still compare the paper with recent JIMA work and explain novelty.

Potentially weak scope match

A general supply-chain optimisation paper uses a halal-food company as its data source but does not study marketing, consumers, branding, channels or market relationships. The Islamic context alone may not create a JIMA fit.

Cross-disciplinary but plausible

A tourism study examines how religiosity and destination communications shape Muslim travellers' trust and revisit intention. Although tourism is interdisciplinary, the marketing constructs and Muslim-consumer relevance may align well with JIMA's stated scope.

Formatting-ready but conceptually weak

A perfectly formatted manuscript can still be unsuitable if it lacks a clear marketing contribution. Formatting supports reviewability; it does not replace originality, scope or methodological quality.

ESL manuscript with strong research

If sound findings are difficult to interpret because of grammar or argument flow, academic editing can improve presentation. The author should remain responsible for the analysis, claims, citations and final submitted text.

Pre-Submission Checklist

• Official JIMA aims and scope checked
• Current Scopus/Clarivate status verified for institutional requirements
• Recent related JIMA articles reviewed
• Marketing contribution stated clearly
• Islam/Muslim link sustained throughout the paper
• Correct article type selected
• Word count is within 4,000–9,500
• Structured abstract follows required headings and limit
• Up to 12 keywords prepared
• Tables/figures prepared in the required way
• Harvard-style citations checked for accuracy and consistency
• Funding, conflict and ethics statements complete
• Permissions secured for third-party material
• All authors and author order confirmed before submission
• ORCID details ready
• AI use checked against Emerald's current policy
• Open-access/APC choice understood
• Final language and presentation proofread

How to Respond to Reviewer Comments

If JIMA requests revision, prepare a point-by-point response. Reproduce or clearly label each reviewer comment, explain what was changed, identify the manuscript location, and provide evidence when you disagree. Keep the tone professional and make sure the response letter and revised manuscript are consistent. Do not claim to have made a change that is not visible in the revision.

Is the Journal of Islamic Marketing Suitable for PhD Researchers?

It can be suitable for a PhD researcher whose work fits the journal's scope and whose university recognises the journal's current indexing/status for the relevant requirement. Scopus ranking or an Impact Factor alone does not make a journal automatically suitable for every doctoral programme. Check institutional rules, supervisor guidance, discipline fit, manuscript contribution, publication model and any deadline before choosing the journal.

How Contentxprtz Can Support Authors Preparing for JIMA

Contentxprtz can support authors who already have their own research and need help making the manuscript clearer, more consistent and better aligned with the journal's published requirements. Depending on the manuscript, support may include journal-scope alignment review, manuscript assessment, academic editing, proofreading, ESL language polishing, structured-abstract refinement, journal formatting, reference consistency checks, figure/table language review, cover-letter editing, submission-document review and reviewer-response editing.

For JIMA specifically, a publication-readiness review can check whether the paper communicates a marketing contribution, keeps the Islam/Muslim connection explicit, follows the structured-abstract requirement, stays within the stated word range, uses an accepted Harvard style and presents the manuscript in a way that is easier for editors and reviewers to evaluate.

Summary: Journal of Islamic Marketing

The Journal of Islamic Marketing is an Emerald Publishing journal focused on marketing scholarship that explicitly connects with Islam and Muslims. Emerald lists JIMA as ranked by Scopus and indexed in the Emerging Sources Citation Index. Its current journal page reports a 2025 CiteScore of 11.3, 2025 Journal Impact Factor of 4.7, double-anonymous peer review, a 23.9% acceptance rate for April 2024–March 2025 submissions, and author requirements including a 4,000–9,500 word range, a structured abstract and Harvard referencing.

For authors, the most important selection test is not a metric alone. The manuscript should address a marketing audience, make the Islam/Muslim connection central, show a credible contribution, and follow the journal's current instructions. Verify live indexing, metrics, APCs, editorial details and submission requirements immediately before submitting.