Case 1 — Explicit marfūʿ: A Companion says, “I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say …,” clearly ascribing speech to him.
Case 2 — Constructive marfūʿ: A Companion reports unseen information with no established scope for independent inference or Israelite sourcing; elevation may follow if the conditions are met.
Case 3 — Mawqūf: A Companion states an independent legal position without attributing it to the Prophet.
Case 4 — Requires further inquiry: Someone says “we used to do this” but supplies no clear time or context. The words alone do not establish Prophetic approval.
In every case, the strength of the particular transmission chain must be examined separately.