Some quotes with my commentary of those quotes from the book,

A Short History of the Saracens, (Being a Concise Account of the Rise and Decline of the Saracenic Power and of the Economic, Social and Intellectual Development of the Arab Nation) by Syed Amir Ali, Published by Kitab Bhavan, New Delhi, India, 1926.

While reading the quotes from this book, keep in mind that it was NOT written by an opponent of Islam but by a well educated Muslim.

The first quote from the book is about events that took place immediately after the death of Muhammad. Many Arabian tribes forsook Islam after Muhammad died, and these tribes were forced to accept Islam or die:

Some of the tribes gave in their adhesion without fighting; others were unyielding, and with them were fought great battles, in which both sides suffered severaly. At the battle of Yemama the formidable tribe of the Banu Hanifa were thoroughly defeated, and their leader, the impostor Mosailima was killed. After this the insurgents gradually submitted, and were received back into Islam. (page 23)

But since we are told by modern Muslims that Islam was not spread by the sword, this fellow must have his fact wrong -- NOT!

The palaces of the kings and nobles were luxurious and beautiful, and the first sight of them considerably impressed the simple Saracens. After a siege of some duration, Madain opened its gate, and its capitulation was followed by the submission of the entire country lying to the west of the Tigris. (page 29)

Where is this guy getting this information? Where is the mention of the missionaries that supposedly spread Islam? At the battle of Yarmuk,

The Romans were defeated with fearful slaughter, a part of their army was driven into the river and drowned, . . . and the Syrian cities one by one capitulated to the Moslems. (page 38)

Their army was entirely destroyed; only a few escaped with their chief, and found a refuge within the walls of Jerusalem. As the fruit of victory, the Saracens obtained without difficulty the submission of the towns of Jaffa and Nablus (Neapolis). Ascalon, Gaza, Ramleh, and Acre (Ptolemais), Berytus, Sidon, Laodicea, Apamea, and Gobula opened their gates without a fight. (page 39)

Could it possibly be that Islam was spread by the sword? Oh, my! What a shock to sensitive Muslims of today who have believed the lies of their teachers. Barely 18 years into the war of Islam against Christianity, there was a major plague and famine that killed many Arabs:

In the eighteenth year of the Hegira, Northern Arabia and Syria were visited by a severe famine and pestilence, in which 25,000 people are said to have perished. Some of the best and most prominent men among the Moslems, including Abu Obaidah, Yezid, and Shorabhil, fell victims to the epidemic.... (page 43)

Not only were the Muslims ruthless to their victims, they also murdered each other:

A foreigner [but still a  Muslim], who bore the Caliph [Omar] some grudge, inflicted on him a fatal wound from which he never recovered. Before his death he appointed an electorate, consisting of six men, to choose his successor. (page 43)

Four of the first 6 Caliphs were murdered while in office. Notice that a council of 6 men choose the next Caliph. The number 6 is prominent in Islam, as it is the number of the beast (666); more on this can be found in my book on Bible prophecy.

The next Caliph made life even more difficult for the Christians and Jews:

Osman withdrew the privileges which had been granted to non-Moslems, and introduced various harsh rules in direct opposition to those of his predecessors. (page 60)

This is no surprise, a whole system of oppression and persecution brought the Christians to suffer greatly and resulted in them gradually converting to Islam to avoid the imposed hardships.

All the chief men both at Mecca and Medina erected mansions of stone and marble. (page 66)

Where do you suppose they got this newly found wealth? By the plunder of Christians and Jews and pagans, and even the selling of them as slaves. During the expansion of the Islamic empire, Arabia became a nation funded by plunder, as robbery was its main occupation; and even later, they continued the robbery with high taxation upon the non-Muslim populations they ruled.

Since murder and robbery and slavery was the main occupation of the Muslims, it is no surprise that murders occurred with frequency among the Muslims themselves.

After his abdication Hassan retired with his family to Medina, but did not long enjoy the pension secured to him under the compact, as many years did not pass before he was poisoned at the instigation of Yezid the son of Muawiyah. . . . he frequently resorted to poison and the dagger to remove an inconvenient enemy or an impossible friend. (page 71)

Another book, quoted in this one, states:

"Astute, unscrupulous, and pitiless, the first Caliph of the Ommayas shrank from no crime necessary to secure his position. Murder was his accustomed mode of removing a formidable opponent..." (Islam Under the Arabs, by Osborn)

It did not take the Muslims long to reach the Atlantic Ocean:

Disappointed at the sight of the vast expanse of water which checked any further advance, he spurred his horse chest-deep into the waves, and raising his hands towards heaven exclaimed, "Almighty Lord! but for this sea I would have gone into still remoter regions, spreading the glory of Your name and smiting Your enemies." (page 79)

Strange words for a religion of "peace"!

Yezid was both cruel and treacherous; his depraved nature knew no pity or justice. His pleasures were as degrading as his companions were low and vicious. (page 83)

Yezid was succeeded by his son Muawiyah, a youth of mild disposition, who, it is said, abhorred the crimes of his family. He retired into private life after a reign of a few months, and died shortly after, supposed to have been poisoned. (page 89)

The above is just a very short mention of the criminal actions taken by the followers of this religion of violence and robbery, just in its first 50 years. More details about the crimes committed are included in other articles on this site, such as quotes from the book, The Arab Invasion of Egypt, and others.