«وَفِيهَا الْمَرْدُودُ وَهُوَ الَّذِي لَمْ يَتَرَجَّحْ صِدْقُ الْمُخْبِرِ بِهِ»
Other ahad reports are mardud: reports for which the narrator’s truthfulness has not been established as the stronger conclusion.
Grounds of acceptance: The relevant integrity, precision, and other required qualities of the transmitter and report are shown.
Grounds of rejection: A serious established defect undermines acceptance—for example, proven falsehood or another consequential flaw.
Grounds for suspension of judgment: Where sufficient evidence is unavailable, the conclusion may need to be withheld pending further investigation.
Thus mardud is not always synonymous with “certainly fabricated.” Some reports cannot be relied upon because their support is insufficient, even if demonstrable deliberate invention is not proven.