Akbar Shah Khan Najibabadi (1875 – 10 May 1938) was an Indian Sunni Muslim historian who wrote Tarikh-e-Islam in three volumes.^[1]

Najibabadi was born in 1875 in Najibabad, Bijnor, United Provinces of British India. He began teaching in Najibabad Middle School in 1897 and later taught Persian in High School, Najibabad.^[2]

During 1906 and 1914, he stayed in Qadian and embraced Ahmadism. He drew close to Hakeem Noor-ud-Din, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad’s successor, and wrote his biography entitled Mirqat al-Yaqin fi Hayati Nur al-Din in two volumes, the second of which remained unpublished because of his reversion back to Sunni Islam.^[3] In Qadian, Najibabadi was superintendent of the Madrasa Nur al-Islam of Ahmadis for five years.^[3]

After Noor-ud-Din's death, Najibabadi turned to Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad but could not agree with him more. Until the middle of 1915, Najibabadi associated with the Lahori group of Ahmadis.^[3] After being associated with the Lahori group for sometime, he reverted to Sunni Islam.^[2][3]

In 1916, Najibabadi started a monthly journal entitled Ibrat, contributors to which included Abdul Halim Sharar and Aslam Jairajpuri. Muhammad Iqbal also published poems in it.^[2] He managed Zamindar for one year during the imprisonment of Zafar Ali Khan and also wrote for Mansoor, Lahore.^[2]

Najibabadi developed a stomach Illness in June 1937, which lead to his death on 10 May 1938.^[2]

Najibabadi's works include:^[2]

• Tarikh-e-Islam (3-volumes)
• Tarikh-e-Najibabad
• Jang-e-Angura
• Nawab Ameer Khan
• Gaay awr Uski Tarikhi Azmat
• Ved awr Uski Qudamat
• Hindu awr MusalmanoN ka ittefaq
• Aaina Haqeeqat Numa.^[1]