Najib ad-Dawlah

Najib ad-Dawlah (Pashto: نجيب الدوله‎), also known as Najib Khan Yousafzai (Pashto: نجيب خان‎), was a Rohilla Yousafzai Pashtun who earlier served as a Mughal serviceman but later deserted the cause of the Mughals and joined Ahmed Shah Abdali in 1757 in his attack on Delhi. He was also a House chief in the 18th century Rohilkhand, who in the 1740s founded the city of Najibabad in Bijnor district, India. He was instrumental in winning the Third Battle of Panipat.

Quotes

• I am also an Afghan and you ought to pre- serve the honour of the Afghans. I have a body of tiventy thousand Afghans with me , while another body of forty thousand Afghans is ready on the other side of the Ganges to serve you. You may come here without any hesitation.
  • Letter to Shah Durrani
  • "Marathas And Panipat" also in Jain, M. (2010). Parallel pathways: Essays on Hindu-Muslim relations, 1707-1857.

• All these troubles have been inflicted upon all our men by the hands of the infidel Marathas. You are the Emperor of the Muslmans and you should, therefore, take steps to put a stop (to this highhandedness)”.
  • Letter to Shah Durrani
  • "Marathas And Panipat" also in Jain, M. (2010). Parallel pathways: Essays on Hindu-Muslim relations, 1707-1857.

• Najib also aimed at wirming over the trans-Ganga Rohillas to his cause. He wrote to them: “The Marathas have ruined the honour of the (people) of Hindustan. No one dares face them. Gird up your loins and for once unite. I will take the lead in this matter. The Wazir of the Emperor at Shahjahanabad is an ally of the Marathas. Rajas of old standing, who are zamindars, chieftains and commanders of armies, have acknowledged the suzerainty of the Marathas and pay them annual tribute. The only independent territory left is that of the trans-Gangetic plain and the Doab. The moment I am expelled from the Doab, then your turn and that of Shuja-ud-daulah would come. When I am defeated, you will be able to do nothing”.
  • "Marathas And Panipat" also in Jain, M. (2010). Parallel pathways: Essays on Hindu-Muslim relations, 1707-1857.

• “In the hope of getting your help I shall have fallen into the hands of the Maratha infidels. It is very likely that very soon the Afghans would be exterminated in spite of there being an Afghan Emperor. So long as I am alive, I will not hesitate from risking my life and killing the infidels*”.
  • "Marathas And Panipat" also in Jain, M. (2010). Parallel pathways: Essays on Hindu-Muslim relations, 1707-1857.