This glossary gives plain meanings for terms that appear across SPM Pendidikan Islam. Each has a short example and the term it is easiest to confuse it with.
Use it for revision, then check wording against your prescribed textbook. For Malay and English pairs across other subjects, see the BM-English terminology bridge.
What do the main terms mean?
| Term | Meaning | Example in context | Confused with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akidah | Core beliefs taught in the syllabus | Belief in the pillars of faith | Akhlak |
| Fiqh | Understanding of rulings on worship and daily acts | Order of the steps of wuduk | Akidah |
| Hadith | A reported saying or action of the Prophet | A teaching on good speech | Al-Quran |
| Sirah | The life of the Prophet and events in order | Hijrah to Madinah | Tarikh |
| Akhlak | Good character and conduct | Returning a lost item | Adab |
| Adab | Good manners in a setting | Greeting a teacher | Akhlak |
| Dalil | Evidence from a source | A verse or hadith that supports a point | Contoh |
| Hukum | A ruling category | Wajib, sunat, harus, makruh, haram | Syarat |
| Syarat | Condition outside the act | Covering the aurat for solat | Rukun |
| Rukun | Part inside the act | Rukuk in solat | Syarat |
| Wajib | Required act | An act the textbook lists as required | Sunat |
| Sunat | Recommended act | Berkumur in wuduk | Harus |
| Harus | Permitted, neither required nor discouraged | A neutral daily choice | Sunat |
| Sanad | Chain of narrators of a hadith | Names linked back to the source | Matan |
| Matan | The text of a hadith | The wording of the saying | Sanad |
| Hijrah | Migration of the Prophet and companions to Madinah | An event in a sirah sequence | Pembukaan Makkah |
| Amanah | Trust kept faithfully | Returning a borrowed key | Jujur |
| Jujur | Truthfulness | Stating the exact change received | Amanah |
| KBAT | Higher-order thinking question | A scenario asking for a reasoned answer | Recall question |
| Tertib | Keeping steps in the required order | Steps of wuduk in sequence | Susunan (general arrangement) |
What do the question words ask for?
A command word sets the depth of the answer. Match the word to the amount of writing before you start.
| Word | Asks for | Answer shape |
|---|---|---|
| Nyatakan | State | One short statement |
| Senaraikan | List | Numbered items, no explanation |
| Berikan contoh | Give an example | A specific case, not a label |
| Jelaskan | Explain | Point plus reason |
| Huraikan | Describe in detail | Point, reason and example |
| Bezakan | Distinguish | Both terms, plus how they differ |
| Bincangkan | Discuss | Points with reasons and a conclusion |
How do I use the confused pairs?
Pick one pair from the table and write two sentences for each term. Then write one sentence saying how they differ. Doing this for a pair a day is faster than reading the whole list again.
A teacher can set the pairs that matter most for your paper. The Akidah learning support lessons use pairs like these.
For lessons that test you on the pairs you confuse, see online one-to-one Pendidikan Islam tuition.