Istikhaarah asking to be guided to the more correct of two scholarly opinions
Question

                Can a person pray istikhaarah to be guided towards doing something the CORRECT way regarding a matter over which there is a scholarly dispute, because both opinions are convincing yet opposing, and the person wants to know which one is right and which one s/he should follow.
Praise be to Allah.It is narrated that some of 
    the salaf prayed istikhaarah concerning matters of knowledge concerning 
    which there was a difference of opinion, and it is proven that some of them 
    prayed istikhaarah asking to be guided concerning the status of narrators 
    (of hadeeth) concerning whom there was a difference of opinion. For 
    example: 
1.
‘Abd al-Razzaaq narrated in
    al-Musannaf (10/301) from Ibn al-Musayyab that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab 
    wrote a document about the grandfather and kalaalah (issues of inheritance 
    when a grandfather of the deceased was still living, or if the deceased left 
    behind no children), and he continued to pray istikhaarah, saying, “O 
    Allaah, if You know that there is some good in it then let it be.” Then when 
    he was stabbed he called for the document, and erased it, and no one knew 
    what was in it. He said: “I wrote something about the grandfather and 
    kalaalah, and I prayed istikhaarah asking Allaah for guidance, then I 
    decided to leave you as you are now.” 
2.
Imam al-Shaafa’i (may 
    Allaah have mercy on him) was one of the scholars who prayed istikhaarah the 
    most with regard to matters of knowledge. He stated in his book al-Umm 
    almost fourteen issues concerning which he prayed istikhaarah asking for 
    guidance. For example, he said in al-Umm (2/44): 
It was said that zakaah is 
    due on jewellery for personal use, and this is what I pray istikhaarah 
    about, asking Allaah for guidance. Al-Rabee’ said: He prayed istikhaarah, 
    asking Allaah for guidance concerning it, and al-Shaafa’i said: There is no 
    zakaah on jewellery for personal use. End quote. 
3.
Among the muhadditheen, Ibn 
    Hibbaan used to pray istikhaarah, asking Allaah for guidance concerning 
    narrators whose status was uncertain or unclear. He mentions this often in 
    his books, especially in al-Majrooheen, for example when he says 
    (1/194): Bahz ibn Mu’aawiyah ibn Heedah al-Qushayri, one of the people of 
    Basrah, who narrated from his father, from his grandfather; al-Thawri and 
    Hammaad ibn Salamah narrated from him. He made many mistakes. As for Ahmad 
    ibn Hanbal and Ishaaq ibn Ibraaheem (may Allaah have mercy on him), they 
    quoted him as evidence and narrated from him, but a number of our imams 
    ignored him. Were it not for the hadeeth, “We will take them [the camels 
    that are due as zakaah] and half of his camels as the due of our Lord”, I 
    would have included him among the thiqaat (trustworthy). He is one of those 
    concerning whom I pray istikhaarah, asking Allaah for guidance. End quote. 
There are many examples of 
    scholars who turned to praying istikhaarah when they were uncertain about 
    issues. I have only quoted a few of them in order to make the point. 
But what is meant by their 
    words “This is one of the matters concerning which I pray istikhaarah, 
    asking Allaah for guidance” and “He is one of those concerning whom I pray 
    istikhaarah, asking Allaah for guidance”? 
The apparent meaning is 
    that they said du’aa’, asking Allaah to guide them to the correct opinion 
    concerning an issue or a narrator. It does not mean that they used to pray 
    istikhaarah in the sense of the naafil salaah and du’aa’. That is because 
    the du’aa’ is not applicable to what they sought. In du’aa’ al-istikhaarah 
    it says “then ordain it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it for me.” 
    How can this be applicable to a matter of fiqh or the status of a narrator 
    of hadeeth? 
It seems that these imams 
    were asking Allaah to help them to reach the right conclusion with regard to 
    matters of knowledge, not that they were saying the du’aa’ of istikhaarah 
    with the salaah offered beforehand. 
The aim of istikhaarah is 
    to ask for guidance from Allaah to the better of two matters concerning 
    which one is hesitating, because guidance and help come from Allaah; He 
    knows and we do not know; He is the Knower of the unseen. The one who relies 
    on himself will go astray, and the one who trusts in his reason and does not 
    seek the help of his Lord will be doomed. The most important thing 
    concerning which a person should seek the help of Allaah is correct 
    understanding of Allaah’s religion and choosing the most correct and best 
    opinion, and istikhaarah or seeking Allaah’s guidance in choosing is the 
    best means of achieving that; it may be the best way of choosing between two 
    opinions when the evidence is very confusing.  
There is no reason why the 
    du’aa’ of the imam or faqeeh, asking his Lord to guide him to the correct 
    opinion regarding issues of knowledge should not be preceded by salaah 
    (prayer), and this action may loosely be called istikhaarah, or that name 
    can be applied to the du’aa’ and not the prayer. As for the salaah and 
    du’aa’ mentioned in the famous hadeeth of Jaabir, this cannot be what they 
    were referring to when they spoke of praying istikhaarah, asking Allaah for 
    guidance concerning such and such. 
And finally: 
It should not be thought 
    that asking for guidance with regard to matters of knowledge is contrary to 
    what Allaah has enjoined of seeking evidence and proof. Resorting to 
    istikhaarah or praying for guidance is to be resorted to when there is no 
    evidence or it is not clear, or there is a contradiction with equally strong 
    evidence, or when the issues is confused in the scholar’s mind and he cannot 
    understand it. None of that means ignoring evidence and proof, rather it is 
    seeking the help of Allaah to understand, and turning to Him and asking Him 
    for guidance to the truth. The Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah 
    be upon him) used to ask Allaah to guide him to the truth. 
It was narrated that 
    ‘Aa’ishah the Mother of the Believers (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: 
    When the Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) got up to 
    pray at night, he would start his prayer with the words: “O Allaah, Lord of 
    Jibra’eel, Mika’eel and Israfeel, Originator of the heavens and the earth, 
    Knower of the unseen and the seen, You judge between Your slaves concerning 
    that wherein they differ. Guide me concerning that wherein they differ of 
    the truth by Your leave, for You guide whomsoever You will to a straight 
    path.”
Narrated by Muslim (770). 
For information on Salaat 
    al-Istikhaarah and some of the rulings concerning it, please see the answer 
    to question no. 2217 and 
    11981. 
And Allaah knows best.