these traditional principles of shi'a jurisprudence were challenged by the 17th-century akhbari school, led by muhammad amin al-astarabadi. a reaction against akhbari arguments was led in the last half of the 18th century by muhammad baqir behbahani. he attacked the akhbari and their method was abandoned by shia. the dominance of the usuli over the akhbari came when behbahani led the usuli to dominance and "completely routed the akhbaris at karbala and najaf," so that "only a handful of shi'i ulama have remained akhbari to the present day."