Does insulting the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) count as major disbelief?

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, he says: Does insulting the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) count as major disbelief?

Answer:
If he insults them because of what they did and for supporting the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and supporting the religion, this is major disbelief. But if he insults them because he hates them somewhat, or because he imitated someone in that, this is considered one of the major sins, but it does not reach the level of disbelief. This is regarding individuals. As for the group, the Companions as a whole, if he insults the Companions as a whole, there is no doubt that this is disbelief. Insulting the Companions as a whole includes Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman, and 'Ali, the ten promised Paradise, the companions of Badr, the companions of the Pledge of Aqabah, and those who embraced Islam before the Conquest and migrated. Insulting them is disbelief. Yes.