The Ruling on Being Lenient in Dealing with Disbelievers Under the Pretext of the Religion's Tolerance

Question:
My question is, as you know, that the sons of Muslims today mix with disbelievers in workplaces, in places of study, and everywhere. We know that it is obligatory for a Muslim not to initiate the greeting to a disbeliever, and to force him to the narrowest part of the path. However, there are some ignorant people whom you find hastening to greet disbelievers, laughing with them, and eating at their tables. Indeed, there are those who address disbelievers by saying, "Oh my brother." And when we tell these people that it is obligatory for us to hate these disbelievers and stay away from them, they argue by saying, "Islam is a religion of softness and tolerance," and they say, "We want to show the disbelievers Islamic tolerance so that they enter Islam." Is their statement correct? And how do we call these disbelievers who are in the lands of Muslims?

Answer:
As you heard, Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) said: [Al-Nahl: 125], and He the Exalted said: and they are the Jews and the Christians [Al-'Ankabut: 46].
So if he addresses them in the best manner, calls them to Allah, and guides them, saying, "Oh Abu So-and-so," or "Oh So-and-so," "Oh Abu Zayd," "Oh Abu 'Abdullah," "Oh Abu Habib," "Oh Abu So-and-so," but he does not say, "Oh my master," nor does he say, "Oh my brother," he says, "Oh Abu So-and-so," or "Oh So-and-so," or similar expressions that do not contain any offense, he calls him to Allah, guides him, teaches him, and the like; because this is the obligatory, this is the straight path.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Sa'd ibn Ubadah when he visited him to check on his illness, and 'Abdullah ibn Abi had spoken ugly words about the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when he passed by a group in which 'Abdullah ibn Abi was present, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) guided them and called them to Allah, and recited the Qur'an to them; 'Abdullah ibn Abi stood up and spoke, covering his face, and said, "Do not dust us," when he found the dust of the mount, and said, "Oh So-and-so, I do not approve of what you say. If it is truth, do not invade our places, and sit in your house until someone comes to you to whom you can relate it." So some of the Companions stood up and said, "No, O Messenger of Allah, but let him invade our places, and call us, for we love to hear from you." So some supporters stood up for these, and supporters for those, until a great fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) was about to occur. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) calmed them and settled them. Then when he reached Sa'd ibn Ubadah, he informed him and said, "Did you know what Abu al-Habib did?"
What did the vile disbeliever, who has what he has, say? He said, "Did you not know what Abu al-Habib did?" meaning 'Abdullah ibn Abi, who was a leader among the Khazraj. So he said, "O Messenger of Allah, do not hasten against him, be gentle with him, for this man was one whom the people of the city had agreed to make their leader, to crown him to be a king over them. When Allah brought you, this matter became void, and this matter became forbidden. Therefore, he was bitter about the call, and the matter became great for him, and he hated this call because of the leadership that he lost. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was gentle with him and did not say to him... what the vile one did, but he said, "What did Abu al-Habib do?" and he continued to be gentle with him until he died upon his hypocrisy (may Allah grant us safety).