Does a Muslim who commits acts of shirk (associating partners with Allah) not become a disbeliever until the argument is established against him?

Question:
We received a question from a caller who says: When do we focus on establishing the argument against a Muslim who commits some acts of shirk (associating partners with Allah)? And do we say that he does not become a disbeliever until the argument is established against him?

Answer:
First, calling him a Muslim while he commits shirk (associating partners with Allah) is an incorrect designation. One who commits major shirk is not called a Muslim; we call him a mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah). However, if the shirk is minor shirk, such as swearing by other than Allah, or saying "if not for you" or "if not for Allah," or similar phrases, this is minor shirk, and he is a Muslim. But one who commits major shirk, we do not say he is a Muslim; we say he is a mushrik. He is not excused by ignorance if he lives among Muslims, hears the Qur'an, hears the hadiths, hears the words of the scholars, and does not accept that, and persists in what he is doing. Then he has no argument and no excuse; the argument has been established against him. Ah.
Shirk is among the apparent matters. Shirk is not among the hidden matters. Shirk is among the apparent matters. Calling upon other than Allah, slaughtering for other than Allah, making vows for other than Allah; these are apparent matters, not hidden ones.