Was Islam ‘spread by the sword and violence’?

Question:

There is this famous saying amongst the people of the West, that “Islam was spread by the sword and violence”. Can you please provide evidences and the true history to refute this claim?

Answer:

Please see these following two articles I have written about the issue:

“The Spread of Islam [From its beginning to the 14th Century]”:

“Was Muhammad (s) a Prophet of Terror?!”

Answered by: Sheikh Mansour Leghaei