The ruling on one who insults the Companions and believes in the distortion of the Qur'an

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, there is a sect that disparages most of the Companions and specifically labels 'Umar ibn al-Khattab and others. They also hold other false views regarding the Noble Qur'an, as well as regarding the books of the people of the Sunnah, such as the six books, and so on. I wanted to know the ruling on this sect, and I am asking for a statement and clarification.

Answer:
Whoever believes, along with hating and insulting the Companions, that the Qur'an has been distorted, altered, and changed, and that this is not the Qur'an revealed to Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), but rather that much of it was hidden, destroyed, or lost; or whoever believes in one of the imams or scholars that he possesses the power to benefit or harm without Allah, and seeks blessing from his grave, calls upon him for aid without Allah the Mighty and Majestic, visits shrines, and draws near to the dead—this person is a disbeliever, and there is no doubt about his disbelief. This is because he has combined many things: hating the Companions, insulting the Companions, the Noble Qur'an, disbelief in the authentic Sunnah, worshipping the dead and calling upon them for aid, and believing that some of the imams are permitted to legislate for the people, or that their words are accepted, or that their imams are better than the angels and the prophets. They say that our imams have a status that no angel brought near and no prophet sent has reached. Does anyone doubt the disbelief of this person?
These are acts of disbelief, and may Allah protect us from them, and they are darknesses, one upon another. For he does not believe in the Qur'an, nor in the Sunnah, nor does he have loyalty to the Companions of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). No one hates the Companions of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) except one who hates the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: So whoever is in this state is called a Muslim. Whoever believes in these matters is declared a disbeliever by description; if he believes in them, he is a disbeliever by description. Yes.