What is "akhbari"

The Akhbaris are Twelver Shia Muslims who reject the use of reasoning in deriving verdicts, and believe Quran and hadith (sayings of Prophet Muhammad and Twelve Shia Imams) as the only source of law.

The term Akhbari (from khabara, news or report) is usually used in contrast to Usuli (from Uṣūl al-fiqh, principles of Islamic jurisprudence). Unlike Usulis, Akhbaris do not follow marja‘s (models for imitation) who practice modern form of ijtihad (independent legal reasoning). Akhbaris say that no Imāms ever allowed Ijtehad and the Door of Ijtehad was opened by Umar ibn al-Khattab.

Akhbari nowadays form a minority within Shia Islam, with Usulis making up the majority. Akhbarism "crystalized" as a distinct movement with the writings of Muhammad Amin al-Astarabadi (d. 1627 AD) and achieved its greatest influence in the late Safavid and early post-Safavid era. However, shortly thereafter Muhammad Baqir Behbahani (d. 1792), along with other Usuli mujtahids, crushed the Akhbari movement. Today it is found primarily in the Basra area of southern Iraq (where they form the majority in many districts) although no longer in the city. They are also found in the island nation of Bahrain, Hyderabad, India and different cities of Pakistan Karachi, Sehwan, Hyderabad, Lahore, Faisalabad(Lylpur), Chakwaal, Gojar Khan with reportedly "only a handful of Shi'i ulema" remaining Akhbari "to the present day."