CriterionCompletePartial
Meeting pointSame immediate teacherHigher than that teacher
Effect on singularityDirectly removes exclusivity from that teacherCorroborates through a higher link or the shared Companion
IllustrationTwo students of MalikMalik and ‘Ubayd Allah meet at Nafi‘
The distinction is not merely terminological. A diagram of the chains reveals exactly which alleged uniqueness has been answered and where an independent supporting route enters. Authenticity and the value of each route still need to be investigated.