Etymology

Originally رَأْيَة ‎(raʾya), an instance noun derived from رَأْي ‎(raʾy, “sight, perception”), verbal noun of رَأَى ‎(raʾā, “to see”), but "the Arabs prefer omitting [the hamza] ... and some say it has not been heard with ء ‎(ʾ, “hamza”)." (Lane)