Other distinctions also occur in classical usage. Some reserve maʿrifah for knowing after earlier ignorance; others associate it with reflective discovery or detailed acquaintance with the distinguishing features of something. ʿIlm can then be used more broadly for apprehending a fact or state of affairs.
Such distinctions frequently change the aspect under consideration rather than identifying separate psychological or epistemic events. In one convention maʿrifah is restricted, in another it is broad, and in another it marks acquired acquaintance.
Consequently, before inferring a substantive difference from the occurrence of “maʿrifah,” the intended technical sense must be determined. Only then can one decide whether the discussion concerns the grounds of knowledge or a classification of words.