How is loyalty and disavowal (al-wala' wa al-bara') maintained with non-Muslim colleagues?

Question:
This man says: My job and the nature of my work require me to interact with and associate with non-Muslim communities, and we may break our fast together at the workplace. We may also initiate greetings or salutations with them. How do we fulfill the aspect of loyalty and disavowal (al-wala' wa al-bara') with these people?

Answer:
You must advise them and call them to Allah, and treat them as necessity requires: asking them about a transaction, giving them a transaction to perform, returning their greeting if they greet you, but you do not initiate it. And so on. As for taking them as friends and loved ones and associating with them as if they were Muslims, that is not permissible. However, you treat them as necessity requires in the systems of the job: a transaction that is given to them, or taken from them, or inquired about: Where did you go? Where did you come from? There is no harm in saying: How are your children? How are you? Because this is not initiating a greeting. And if they greet you, you say: And upon you be peace.