When 'A'dil Khán and Khawás Khán reached Fathpúr Síkrí, they went to visit Shaikh Salím, one of the holy men of the age. By chance, that night happened to be the Shab-i Barát, and the performance of the prayers appointed for that occasion delayed Khawás Khán. They did not, therefore, arrive in the neighbour­hood of A'gra until the forenoon. Islám Sháh, having learnt their arrival, and being informed of the evil disposition of the nobles, was sorely distressed, and said to Kutb Khán, “If I have ill-treated 'A'dil Khán, why did not Khawás Khán write to me on the subject, that I might give up my intention.” Kutb Khán, perceiving the King's distress, said, “Be not cast down, the business is not yet irremediable. I will undertake to suppress this disturbance.” Islám Sháh sent away Kutb Khán, and other chiefs who inclined to the side of 'A'dil Khán, and told them to go to 'A'dil Khán. His design was to place these people at a distance from himself, and then to proceed towards the fort of Chunár, where he might collect his treasures, and afterwards, after having made new arrangements, advance to the attack of his enemies. 'I'sá Khán endeavoured to dissuade him from doing this, and said, “If you place no confidence in the nobles of your father and others, you ought at least to trust those 5000 men who have served the King since he was a Prince. Possessing such a force as you do, it would be madness to shrink from the contest which is before you; and although certain of the nobles have secret ill-will towards you, yet it shows a want of caution to send them to the enemy. Your best course will be to lead the army into battle in person, and to show yourself foremost in the field. In this way no one will desert to the foe.” Islám Sháh's heart was strengthened, and he determined to remain where he was. He sent for Kutb Khán and the other chiefs, to whom he had granted permission to depart, and said to them, “Why should I make you over to the enemy with my own hands? Perhaps they are ill-disposed towards you.” After this he prepared for war, and posted himself on the field of battle. When those who intended to join 'A'dil Khán saw Islám Sháh fully prepared for action, they refrained from going. The two armies met face to face, and a battle took place in the neighbour­hood of A'gra.* The decree of the Almighty granted victory to Islám Sháh, and the army of 'A'dil Khán was defeated. 'A'dil Khán fled alone and unaccompanied towards the hills of Bhata,* and no one knew what had become of him. Khawás Khán and 'I'sá Khán Níází went to Mewát. Islám Sháh despatched a powerful force in pursuit of Khawás Khán,* and a second battle took place at Fírozpúr (Jharka), near Mewát. Islám Sháh's troops were routed; but Khawás Khán, perceiving his inability to continue the war, went to the skirts of the Kamáún hills, and for a long time devastated the territories of Islám Sháh in their vicinity.

After these events, Islám Sháh became mistrustful of all his father's nobles, and took measures to overthrow them. He put some of them in prison, and deprived others of all their posses­sions. He also placed his own nephew, Mahmúd Khán, the son of 'A'dil Khán, under surveillance,* and ruined* first Kutb Khán Súr, then Barmazíd Súr, Jalál Khán Súr, and Zain Khán Níází. He slew Jalál Khán Súr, as well as his brother, by binding them to the feet of an elephant, after which he caused the afore­said nobles to be placed on the elephant, and paraded through the camp. The hearts of the nobles of Sher Sháh were filled with terror and consternation. After this he put many others to death, amongst whom was Khawás Khán, who bore the title of Masnad 'A'lí, who was impaled on some frivolous pretext.* He continued for a long time to distress the whole of his subjects, and to make God's servants miserable; but towards the end of his reign he behaved towards the people with liberality and generosity. He gained the good-will of the poor by granting them pensions and stipends. Bent upon destroying his father's nobles, he went towards Chunár, and on the road put Jalál Khán, who was a friend of 'A'dil Khán, to death. He removed all the treasure from Chunár, and sent it to Gwálior.* He then returned to A'gra, and remained there.

When some time had elapsed, many of Sher Sháh's nobles became convinced that Islám Sháh intended to ruin them. Sa'íd Khán, the brother of Haibat Khán Níází, fled from A'gra to Haibat Khán, and induced him to rebel against Islám Sháh. Kutb Khán, one of the great chiefs and a principal grandee, who had been concerned in 'A'dil Khán's first sedition, escaped in the greatest alarm, and joined 'Azam Humáyún Níází at Lahore. Islám Sháh wrote a farmán to 'Azam Humáyún, demanding the surrender of Kutb Khán. 'Azam Humáyún, by deceitful repre­sentations, contrived to send him to Islám Sháh, who imprisoned him, with fourteen other chiefs, such as Sháhbáz Khán Lohání the son-in-law of Sher Khán, Barmazíd Súr, and other persons. He then sent them to Gwálior, after which he took measures for the seizure of 'Azam Humáyún and Shujá' Khán,* and sent these two grandees a summons to appear before him. 'Azam Humáyún wrote from Lahore, to excuse himself from coming; and Shujá' Khán came from Málwá and paid his respects to Islám Sháh; but as Islám Sháh desired to obtain possession of the persons of these two chiefs at the same time, he allowed Shujá' Khán to return to his jágír. He went back to his fief in Málwá, and Islám Sháh turned his face towards Rohtás and Chunár.

On the road, 'Azam Humáyún's brother, who had always been an attendant at Court, fled to Lahore. On account of his flight, Islám Sháh went back to A'gra, where he collected his troops and marched thence towards Dehlí. When Shujá' Khán re­ceived intelligence of these occurrences, he hastened to Dehlí with all possible speed, without being summoned by Islám Sháh. The King gratified him by treating him with distinction, and after arranging his army, and halting some days at Dehlí, he proceeded in the direction of Lahore. 'Azam Humáyún and the whole of the King's enemies had an interview with Khawás Khán and his friends, and despatched a powerful force from the Panjáb to encounter His Majesty. They came up with each other near Am­bála; and as Islám Sháh was encamped very near the Níází troops, a fight was imminent. On the night preceding the day of battle, 'Azam Humáyún and his brothers met in Khawás Khán's tent, and consulted together concerning the appointment of another Sovereign. Khawás Khán said, that the best course would be to raise 'A'dil Khán, the eldest son of Sher Sháh, to the throne, as he was the rightful heir. Upon this all the Níázís said unanimously, “What advice is this? No one obtains a kingdom by inheritance; it belongs to whoever can gain it by the sword.” Khawás Khán was vexed at their intentions, and on the same night he secretly sent a verbal message to one of the confi­dential servants of Islám Sháh, requesting him to inform the King, that although His Majesty looked on him (Khawás Khán) as an unfaithful servant, yet that his heart had always inclined towards Sher Sháh's family and offspring; and that although he had sided with 'A'dil Khán, who were the Níázís that he should be guilty of disloyalty to his benefactor on their account, and for the sake of their alliance? That his wish to be of service should, with the consent of the Almighty, be made manifest on the day of battle.