What is the clarification of Al-Nawawi's phrases in his book "Al-Minhaj," specifically: "When I say: 'in the most apparent' (fil-azhar) or 'the well-known' (al-mashhur), it refers to one of the two sayings or multiple sayings. If the disagreement is strong, I say 'the most apparent,' otherwise 'the well-known.' And when I say 'the soundest' (al-asahh) or 'the sound' (al-sahih), it refers to one of the two possibilities or multiple possibilities. If the disagreement is strong, I say 'the soundest,' otherwise 'the sound.' And when I say: 'the madhhab,' it refers to one of the two methods or multiple methods. And when I say: 'the text,' it is the text of Al-Shafi'i, may Allah have mercy on him, and there would be a weak possibility or a derived saying"? And are these terms general?

The terminology used by Imam Al-Nawawi in Minhaj al-Talibin is as follows:

Al-Azhar (الأظهر)/Al-Mashhur (المشهور): These refer to the sayings of Imam Al-Shafi'i. "Al-Azhar" is used when the difference of opinion is strong, while "Al-Mashhur" is used when it is weak. Al-Asahh (الأصح)/Al-Sahih (definition) (الصحيح): These refer to the wujuh (interpretations/derivations) of the Companions (his students' extrapolations from Al-Shafi'i's words). "Al-Asahh" is used when the difference of opinion is strong, while "Al-Sahih" is used when it is weak. Al-Madhab (المذهب): This refers to the difference of opinion among the Companions in recounting the madhhab (definition) (whether there are two sayings, two interpretations, one saying, or a detailed explanation). Al-Nass (النص): This refers to Al-Shafi'i's own explicit statement, which might be contrasted with a weak interpretation (wajh da'if) or a derived saying (qawl mukharraj).

Al-Nawawi adhered to this terminology in Minhaj al-Talibin, though in other books of the madhhab, one term might be used in place of another.