Disagreement falls into two categories: disagreement born of variety and disagreement born of contradiction.

Disagreement of variety appears in several forms. One form is that both of the two statements or actions in question are sound and lawfully sanctioned. A case in point is the variant Qur’anic recitations over which some Companions differed, until the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—rebuked them and said, “Both of you are doing well.”

The same applies to the different legitimate modes for the adhān, the iqāmah, the opening supplications, the various formulas of the tashahhud, the Prayer of Fear, the extra takbīrs of the two ‘Īds, the takbīrs of the Funeral Prayer, and other such matters. All of these forms have been divinely legislated, even though one might say that some of them are more virtuous than others.

Yet we see many in the ummah differ over these very issues to the point that factions have fought one another over whether the phrases of the iqāmah should be recited in pairs or singly—and the like. This is the essence of what is forbidden. Those who do not go so far still harbor in their hearts a bias for one form, turning away from—or even prohibiting—another, thereby falling into what the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, forbade.