While there is truth to what you say, there is however a very major difference between the two i.e. the
Science of Hadith.
As far as Muslims are concerned, it makes all the difference in the world why we choose to believe only the latter and not the former.
Let provide an example,
Let’s take an Aqidah point. There are some Muslims who believe Allah is up in the literal sense. And use the following hadith as proof.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) requested that she be brought, and then asked her, “Where is Allah?” and she said, “In the sky (Fi al-sama)”; whereupon he asked her, “Who am I?” and she said, “You are the Messenger of Allah”; at which he said, Free her, “for she is a believer” (Sahih Muslim, 5 vols. Cairo 1376/1956. Reprint. Beirut: Dar al-Fikr, 1403/1983, 1.382: 538).
Hadith is Sahih, (Rigorously Authenticated)
However there are other Authenic hadith which provide a different version of the same story.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) asked the slave girl, “‘Who is your Lord?’ and she said, ‘Allah’; whereupon he asked her, ‘Who am I?’ and she said, ‘You are the Messenger of Allah’; at which he said, ‘Free her, for she is a believer’” (al-Ihsan fi taqrib Sahih Ibn Hibban, 18 vols. Beirut: Muassasa al-Risala, 1408/1988, 1.419: 189).
The hadith is Hasan (Well Authenticated)
And yet another Hadith,
the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said to her, “Do you testify that there is no god but Allah?” and she said yes. He said, “Do you testify that I am the Messenger of Allah?” and she said yes. He said, “Do you believe in resurrection after death?” and she said yes. He said, “Free her” (al-Musannaf, 11 vols. Beirut: al-Majlis al-Ilmi, 1390/1970, 9.175: 16814).
This Hadith is Sahih. (rigorously authenticated)
So if all three hadith are authentic, Can we ascertain what Muhammad actually asked the girl???
The answer of an honest person would be no.
However there are authentic hadiths, which establish certainty as to what the Prophet said. For example the Hadith of Jibril. What is Islam, what is Iman and what is Ihsan. Hadith is Sahih, and the wording if confirmed by the various methods of transmission.
Similiarily we find the same among the Gospels of Jesus, there are some wordings which vary while other wordings from Jesus that are firmly established.
So they are the same.