In ordinary speech, “maʿrūf” means known or familiar. Here it names a particular type of report.
Many people having heard a report does not, by itself, make it maʿrūf under this definition.
The distinction concerns the stated opposing reports of reliable and weak narrators, not how familiar people are with the report.
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Maʿrūf: The reliable narrator's report against a weak report
In ordinary speech, “maʿrūf” means known or familiar. Here it names a particular type of report.
Many people having heard a report does not, by itself, make it maʿrūf under this definition.
The distinction concerns the stated opposing reports of reliable and weak narrators, not how familiar people are with the report.