Here is an excellent academic article about the connection between Islam, Jihad, the Arab Conquests, and the Position of Non-Muslim subjects.
Summary:
– The harsh criticism of Islam towards other faiths, how some of the Jews were cursed for what they said, how they were turned into monkeys and pigs.
– How you shouldn’t take the Christians and Jews as friends
– The Jews accused of perverting their books (of course it must be so because otherwise the Quran cannot be true)
– Proof that Jihad is a holy battle and not just a spiritual internal battle
– How to deal with prisoners of war
– How its a grave sin to run away from a battle (cuz Allah hates those who run from the battles)
– How when Islam was weak, the Quran had a completely soft tone of voice towards the non-Muslims, and how after the hijrah the Quran completely changes its tone and becomes more hostile towards the kuffar.
– The eviction of all of the christians, jews and polytheists from the Arabian peninsula ordered by Prophet Muhammad
– The theory that the Arabs were actually warriors by nature and that this has nothing to do with Islam, some analysis about some of the famous warriors of Islam such as Khalid b. Walid, Amr bin Al-Aas (who all converted when they saw that Islam was winning and it was in their best interests…)
– Also, the treatment of early conquering Muslims (wholesale slaughter of peoples) such as the invasion of Syria by Abu Bakr, the conquest of Egypt by Amr bin Al-aas, and near the end of the article it discusses the discriminatory practices of Islamic law towards non-Muslim subjects (jizya, inability to hold public office)