The different types of differing

Sheikh Muqbil raḥimahullāh was asked: How do we deal with the differences between scholars when giving da'wah to people who don't understand the differences between scholars? He answered: “Differences are divided into three categories: (1⃣) Difference in variety (ikhtilāf tanawwu'). This [type of difference] is fine, such as the different ways of sending prayers upon the Prophet ﷺ, the different wordings of tashahhud, and the different opening supplications. This is a difference in variety, and there is no problem with that (i.e. All of the forms are authentic, so a person is allowed to pick and choose) (2⃣) Difference of understanding (ikhtilāf afhām), which is also fine (i.e. A person is not censured for this), like what some of them understood from the saying of the Prophet ﷺ: “Whoever believes in Allāh and the Last Day should not pray ’Aṣr except in Banē Qurayḍhah.” Some of them understood that to mean hastening (’Aṣr), hence they prayed on the route and then continued making their way. Whereas others understood that to mean offering the prayer at Banē Qurayḍhah, which is why they delayed it until they reached Banē Qurayḍhah. And Abū Muḥammad Ibn Ḥazm raḥimahullāh said, those who delayed were more in line with text. So there's no issue with difference of understanding. Another example is what relates to the statement of the Prophet ﷺ: “If one of you wakes up from sleep, he should not dip his hand into the vessel until he has washed them three times, for he does not know where his hands have spent the night.” So the people of knowledge differed concerning this; some of them said the water becomes impure (if one dips their hand into it after waking up from sleep), and some of them said this command is merely an act of worship (Amr ta’abbudi) so the water does not become impure as a result. And some of them said, this is from the angle of recommendation, because the basic principle is purity; i.e. I went to sleep while my hands were clean (so they remain clean unless proven otherwise). And among them are those who said, this is specific to waking up from the night's sleep, whereas some of them included the daytime sleep. (3⃣) Oppositive differing (ikhtilāf taḍhād); for which a person is censured accordingly. This happens when a person opposes a clear, authentic ḥadīth or Āyah without being under the guise of ta'wīl. For example, the Prophet ﷺ prohibited men from wearing gold, so you find a man wearing a gold ring; this differing is oppositive because it contradicts the evidence. And the same goes for any matter which contradicts the evidence without justification; a person is censured for this. Source: http://muqbel.net/fatwa.php?fatwa_id=798