The first issue of this publication, named Jurnal at Tarbiyah, was published by Tarbiyah Faculty as the branch of IAIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya. The journal had been renamed after the change of the institution status into Islamic College (STAIN) in 1997, into el Harakah. It published three issues annually in 1997-2009. Since 2010, it publishes two issues on June and December, in English or Arabic language. The journal is accredited SINTA 2 (view certificates) based on the decree No. 200/M/KPT/2020 on 23 December 2020 by the Ministry of Research and Technology, for the period December 2019 to June 2024.
Beginning with Vol. 27 No. 1 (2025), el Harakah Jurnal Budaya Islam has implemented a thematic issue policy, in which each issue focuses on a particular topic within the broader field of Islamic culture and society. This editorial approach aims to strengthen the journal’s scholarly focus, foster more coherent academic discussions, and encourage deeper engagement with contemporary cultural and societal issues.
