They refuse to offer the Eid prayer behind someone who differs from them with regard to the number of extra takbeers

Firstly: 

This issue is one of the
matters of ijtihaad concerning which the Sahaabah,Taabi‘een and leading
scholars differed, and there are more than ten views. 

It says in al-Mawsoo‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah
(13/209): 

The Maalikis and Hanbalis said
that in Eid prayer there are six takbeers in the first rak‘ah and five in
the second. That was narrated from the seven fuqaha’ of Madinah and from
‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azeez, az-Zuhri and al-Muzani. 

It seems that they included the
opening takbeer (takbeerat al-ihram) among the seven in the first rak‘ah,
and they counted the takbeer of rising as extra to the five takbeers in the
second rak‘ah. 

The Hanafis – and Ahmad,
according to one report – are of the view that in the Eid prayer there are
six additional takbeers, three in the first rak‘ah and three in the second.
This was the view of Ibn Mas‘ood, Abu Moosa al-Ash‘ari, Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamaan,
‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir, Ibn az-Zubayr, Abu Mas‘ood al-Badri, al-Hasan al-Basri,
Muhammad ibn Sireen, ath-Thawri, and the scholars of Kufah. It was also
narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas. 

Ash-Shaafa‘i said: The
additional takbeers are seven in the first rak‘ah and five in the second. 

Al-‘Ayni mentioned nineteen
different opinions concerning the additional takbeers. End quote. 

Ash-Shawkaani (may Allah have
mercy on him) said: 

The scholars differed
concerning the number of takbeers in the two rak‘ahs of the Eid prayer and
when the takbeers are to be said; there are ten different views, as
follows: 

1.(The
imam) should say takbeer seven times in the first rak‘ah before reciting,
and five times in the second rak‘ah before reciting.

Al-‘Iraqi said: This is the
view of most of the scholars among the Sahaabah, Taabi‘een and imams
(leading scholars). 

2.The
opening takbeer (takbeerat al-ihram) should be counted as one of seven
takbeers in the first rak‘ah. This is the view of Maalik, Ahmad and al-Muzani.

3.The
number of takbeers is seven in the first rak‘ah and seven in the second.
This was narrated from Anas ibn Maalik, al-Mugheerah ibn Shu‘bah, Ibn
‘Abbaas, Sa‘eed ibn al-Musayyib and an-Nakha‘i.

4.In the
first rak‘ah there are three takbeers after the opening takbeer (takbeerat
al-ihraam) and before the recitation, and in the second rak‘ah there are
three takbeers after the recitation. This was narrated from a number of the
Sahaabah: Ibn Mas‘ood, Abu Moosa, and Abu Mas‘ood al-Ansaari. It is also the
view of ath-Thawri and Abu Haneefah… etc. End quote from Nayl al-Awtaar
(3/355)

The soundest of that which has
been narrated in the Sunnah is the hadith of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased
with her): The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
used to say takbeer in the prayer on (Eid) al-Fitr and (Eid) al-Adha, seven
takbeers in the first rak‘ah and five in the second. Narrated by Abu Dawood
(1149); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood. This is
the view of most of the scholars. 

Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr (may Allah
have mercy on him) said: 

It was narrated via many good
isnaads from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that in
the prayer on the two Eids, he said seven takbeers in the first rak‘ah and
five in the second… With regard to the Sahaabah (may Allah be pleased with
them), they differed greatly concerning takbeer in the Eid prayers, as did
the Taabi‘een.

End quote from at-Tamheed
(16/37-39) 

Please see the answer to
question no.

36491. 

Secondly: 

The difference of opinion
concerning such matters comes under the heading of acceptable differences of
opinion for which the one who holds a different opinion is not to be
denounced. How can he be denounced for that when it is narrated from the
Sahaabah (may Allah be pleased with them), who are the imams or leaders in
ijtihaad and following the Sunnah? 

Hence Imam Ahmad (may Allah
have mercy on him) was of the view that everything that was narrated from
the Sahaabah (may Allah be pleased with them) concerning the additional
takbeers in the Eid prayer is acceptable, and he said: The Companions of the
Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) differed
concerning the takbeers, and all their views are acceptable.

End quote from al-Furoo‘
(3/201) 

Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen
(may Allah have mercy on him) said, after stating that he said seven
takbeers in the first rak‘ah and five in the second:

But if someone does something
different from that, and makes it five in both the first and the second, or
seven in both the first and the second, according to what was narrated from
the Sahaabah, Imam Ahmad said: The Companions of the Prophet (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) differed concerning the takbeers, and all their
views are acceptable. In other words, Imam Ahmad thought that the matter was
broad in scope, and that if a person did these takbeers in a different
manner, according to something that was narrated from the Sahaabah, then
there is nothing wrong with it. 

This is the view of Imam Ahmad
himself – he thought that if the early generations differed concerning
something, and there was no decisive text concerning it, then all views were
acceptable, because he respected and venerated the views of the Sahaabah. He
said: If there is no decisive text that could rule out one of the views,
then the matter is broad in scope. 

Undoubtedly this view of Imam
Ahmad is one of the best ways of bringing the ummah together and uniting
them, because some people take differences of opinion regarding matters
concerning which ijtihaad and reaching different conclusions is acceptable
as a reason for division and dissent, to the extent that they will regard
their brethren for being misguided with regard to a matter concerning which
they themselves may be the ones who are misguided. This is part of the
problem that has become widespread nowadays, despite what there is nowadays
of grounds for optimism with regard to this awakening among the youth in
particular. This awakening may be spoiled and go back to deep sleep as a
result of of this division, because each one of them, if his brother
disagrees with him concerning the matter that is subject to ijtihaad and
concerning which there is no definitive text, he is put off and he begins to
revile him and speak negatively about him. This is a test which brings joy
to the enemies of this awakening. 

If the matter is subject to
ijtihaad, then each of us should make allowances for his brother with regard
to the matter concerning which he engaged in ijtihaad. 

There is nothing wrong with
calm and useful discussion among brothers. 

And I say: May Allah reward
Imam Ahmad with good for this good approach, because if the early
generations differed concerning a matter and there was no definitive text,
then the matter is broad in scope and all views as acceptable.

End quote from ash-Sharh al-Mumti‘
(5/135-138) 

Thus it becomes clear that
there is nothing wrong with someone doing that which was narrated from the
Sahaabah (may Allah be pleased with them), even though what is preferable is
to say seven takbeers in the first rak‘ah and five in the second. 

Thirdly: 

What we should do is strive to
bring people together and create harmony between them, because this is one
of the fundamentals of Islam. It is not permissible to demolish this
principle because of a matter that is Sunnah or mustahabb, in the case of
which there is no blame or sin on a person if he does not do it. Yes, there
is no reason why we should not discuss, research and debate in a calm manner
in order to find out the strongest view and the one that is closest to the
Sunnah. But if that agreement does not come about, and each side thinks that
it is closest to the Sunnah, and they are following those who reached that
view before them, among the Sahaabah, Taabi‘een and imams (leading
scholars), then what must be done in that case is for all the Muslims in the
city to unite behind one imam, and offer one prayer, and not be divided,
because division in that case comes from the Shaytaan and causes their
enemies to rejoice. 

In fatwa no.

12585
we stated that if the imam does something in the prayer that the person who
is praying behind him does not think is Islamically acceptable, then what he
must do is follow the imam so long as the matter is something that is
subject to ijtihaad. What would these people do if they were to pray behind
the senior Sahaabah, such as ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ood, Abu Moosa al-Ash‘ari or
Abu Mas‘ood al-Badri? They used to say takbeer three times in the first
rak‘ah and three times in the second. 

Would they refuse to pray
behind these prominent imams? They are imams of the ummah, among the most
well-versed in knowledge and the most righteous at heart! 

Conclusion: differences of
opinion concerning the number of additional takbeers in the Eid prayer do
not make it permissible for the Muslims to become divided and establish
another prayer, because having two Eid prayers, with each congregation
praying by itself, is a reprehensible innovation that causes division among
the Muslims, as is quite obvious to any rational person. It is not possible
that there should be any Islamic teaching or Sunnah that promotes such a
thing. 

So it is not permissible to
say: we will pray one time in the Salafi manner and another time in the
Hanafi manner. Rather the entire community is enjoined to pray in one
manner, which is the way of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) and his Companions. This is the way of the imams (leading scholats)
of the ummah, such as Abu Haneefah, Maalik, ash-Shaafa‘i, Ahmad, and others.
With regard to matters concerning which the Sahaabah and scholars differed
and in which it is permissible to disgree, we should be easy going and and
open-minded regarding these differences of opinion. 

We ask Allah, may He be
exalted, to unite the Muslims in following the truth and to create harmony
between their hearts. 

And Allah knows best