EDITORIAL NOTES OF VOLUME 9 ISSUE 1 SPECIAL MAY 2026

Abstract

The editorial board of the Journal of Islamic Management Studies (JIMS) is honoured to present Volume 9, Number 1 (Special Issue), themed “Reviving Islamic Management Principles in a Disruptive World.” This special issue features a carefully selected collection of papers presented at the 4th International Conference of the World Academy of Islamic Management (WAIM 2025), which brought together scholars, researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and industry experts from diverse academic and professional backgrounds to deliberate on the future of Islamic management in navigating contemporary disruptions, uncertainties, and societal transformations.

The conference papers underwent a rigorous academic evaluation process led by Prof Dr Abdul Kadir Othman and Dr Al Amirul Eimer Ramdzan Ali together with the conference reviewing committee and panels of reviewers through a double-blind review process. Subsequently, selected manuscripts were further refined and evaluated under the editorial supervision of Prof Dr Suhaimi Mhd Sarif and the reviewers of the Journal of Islamic Management Studies through an additional blind review process to ensure academic quality, methodological rigor, theoretical contribution, and practical relevance.

This special issue reflects the growing importance of Islamic management principles as a holistic and value-driven response to global disruptions shaped by digital transformation, economic uncertainty, governance challenges, ethical dilemmas, sustainability concerns, social inequality, and institutional fragility. Across the selected papers, Islamic management is positioned not merely as an alternative management paradigm, but as a comprehensive framework rooted in Tawhidic epistemology, ethical stewardship, amanah (trust), justice, ihsan (excellence and compassion), social responsibility, sustainability, and human well-being.

Several papers explore the roles of Islamic leadership, innovation capability, and employee readiness in strengthening public-sector resilience and organizational adaptability. For instance, the study on Islamic leadership behaviour and employee innovation capability highlights the importance of leadership grounded in Islamic values in fostering innovation readiness among public sector employees in Malaysia. The issue also presents conceptual and empirical discussions on work environment and employee engagement in Malaysian call centres, emphasizing the importance of social exchange, trust, and organizational support in sustaining workforce commitment amidst rapid workplace changes.

Another major contribution of this special issue lies in the domain of Islamic social finance and sustainable development. Several papers investigate waqf-based solutions to contemporary socioeconomic challenges, including waqf-based social housing models and the institutional challenges of implementing waqf-based microfinance in Malaysia. These studies collectively demonstrate how Islamic philanthropic instruments can be revitalized to address poverty alleviation, affordable housing, financial inclusion, and community empowerment in a sustainable, Shariah-compliant manner.

The issue further highlights emerging discussions on digital ethics, halal governance, and consumer trust in the digital economy. The paper on Islamic business ethics in the digital marketplace provides valuable qualitative insights into how Muslim entrepreneurs operationalize honesty, transparency, fairness, and trustworthiness in digital marketing
practices. Complementing this discourse are studies on halal literacy among Malaysian consumers and barriers to halal certification among food restaurants. Together, these papers reaffirm the strategic importance of ethical governance, institutional trust, and consumer awareness in strengthening Malaysia’s aspirations to be a global halal hub.

This special issue also includes contributions on education, technology, and human capital development from Islamic perspectives. Studies on pre-service teachers’ competency development aligned with Islamic values, as well as the influence of Islamic grit on learning outcomes in digital learning environments, illustrate the integration of spiritual, moral, and technological dimensions in contemporary education systems. These works reinforce the importance of balancing technological advancement with ethical and spiritual cultivation in the development of future generations.

Beyond the Malaysian context, this special issue also extends its scholarly engagement to global and developing economies. The conceptual analysis of systemic barriers constraining MSME growth in Sudan offers important reflections on governance, institutional fragility, infrastructure, and financial exclusion in conflict-affected economies. Similarly, studies on sustainable heritage conservation through mudharabah-based crowdfunding models and comparative analyses of traditional Pawah (proportionate sharing) livestock-sharing systems in Malaysia demonstrate how Islamic economic and social traditions can be revitalised to support sustainability, inclusivity, and rural resilience in modern contexts.

Indeed, the papers in this special issue illustrate that reviving Islamic management principles is not a nostalgic return to historical traditions, but a strategic and forward-looking effort to develop resilient, ethical, sustainable, and human-centred systems capable of addressing the complexities of a disruptive world. The contributions presented here enrich academic discourse while simultaneously offering practical implications for policymakers, organisational leaders, educators, entrepreneurs, regulators, and communities.

The editorial board extends its sincere appreciation to all authors, reviewers, conference organisers, and members of the World Academy of Islamic Management for their dedication, scholarly commitment, and collaborative spirit in making this special issue possible. Special appreciation is also extended to the reviewers whose constructive comments and rigorous evaluations significantly enhanced the quality of the published manuscripts.

It is our sincere hope that this special issue will inspire further scholarly inquiry, interdisciplinary collaboration, and practical implementation of Islamic management principles that contribute meaningfully toward ethical governance, sustainable development, social justice, organisational excellence, and the well-being of humanity in an increasingly disruptive global environment.

Editor in Chief
Prof Suhaimi Bin Mhd. Sarif