Evidence that Muhammad spread Islam by the sword
* The Quran contains many verses that call for violence against non-believers. For example, Surah 9:5 states, "Kill them wherever you find them, and drive them out from whence they drove you out, for persecution is worse than slaughter."
* Muhammad himself led many military campaigns against non-Muslims. In these campaigns, he and his followers killed many people and destroyed many cities.
* The early Muslims conquered vast territories by force. In the first century of Islam, the Muslims conquered the Middle East, North Africa, and Spain. They did this by defeating the Byzantine and Visigothic empires.
Evidence that Muhammad did not spread Islam by the sword
* The Quran also contains many verses that call for peace and tolerance. For example, Surah 5:32 states, "If someone kills a person, it is as if he has killed all of mankind. And if someone saves a life, it is as if he has saved all of mankind."
* Muhammad himself showed mercy to many non-believers. For example, he forgave the people of Mecca after they had tried to kill him.
* The early Muslims were often outnumbered and outgunned by their enemies. They were able to defeat these enemies because they were fighting for a cause that they believed in.
Ultimately, whether or not Muhammad spread Islam by the sword is a matter of opinion. There is evidence to support both sides of the argument.