Muhammad ibn Ka’b reported: Umar ibn Abdul Aziz, may Allah have mercy on him, was asked about initiating the greeting of peace to non-Muslim citizens and he said we should respond to their greeting, but we do not greet them first. As for me, I do not see any harm in greeting them with peace first. It was said to him, “Why is that?” Ibn Ka’b said, “Allah Almighty said: Pardon them and say words of peace, for they will soon know.” (43:89)
Source: al-Tamhīd 17/92
Ibn al-Qayyim said, “A groups of scholars said it is permissible to initiate the greeting of peace with non-Muslims if it serves a beneficial purpose or need, or if he fears he will be harmed by them, or if he has family relations with them, or for another reason for which it is required. This was narrated by Ibrahim An-Nakhi’i and ‘Alqamah.”
Source: Zād al-Ma’ād 2/388
عن محمد بن كعب الْقُرَظِيِّ إِنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ رحمه الله سُئِلَ عَنِ ابْتِدَاءِ أَهْلِ الذِّمَّةِ فَقَالَ نَرُدُّ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا نَبْدَؤُهُمْ فَقَالَ أَمَّا أَنَا فَلَا أَرَى بَأْسًا أَنْ نَبْدَأَهُمْ بِالسَّلَامِ قِيلَ لَهُ لِمَ قَالَ لِقَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَاصْفَحْ عَنْهُمْ وَقُلْ سَلَامٌ فَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ
92 التمهيد لما في الموطأ من المعاني والأسانيد
قال ابن القيم وَقَالَتْ طَائِفَةٌ يَجُوزُ الِابْتِدَاءُ لِمَصْلَحَةٍ رَاجِحَةٍ مِنْ حَاجَةٍ تَكُونُ لَهُ إِلَيْهِ أَوْ خَوْفٍ مِنْ أَذَاهُ أَوْ لِقَرَابَةٍ بَيْنَهُمَا أَوْ لِسَبَبٍ يَقْتَضِي ذَلِكَ يُرْوَى ذَلِكَ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ النَّخَعِيِّ وعلقمة
2/388 زاد المعاد في هدي خير العباد