When is ignorance an excuse for one who falls into shirk?

Question:
Is everyone who falls into shirk called a disbeliever? When is ignorance an excuse? And when is ignorance not an excuse?

Answer:
One who falls into major shirk: shirk is of two types. Major shirk is calling upon other than Allah, seeking aid from other than Allah, slaughtering for other than Allah, and other types of worship. If one directs any of these to other than Allah, it is major shirk. Whoever does it becomes a disbeliever, becomes one who associates partners with Allah. Every one who associates partners with Allah is a disbeliever. Every one who associates partners with Allah is a disbeliever who has exited the religion. As for minor shirk, such as swearing by other than Allah, saying "what Allah willed and what you willed," and a little showing off in worship, this is minor shirk. It does not take one out of the religion, but it is serious. It is very serious. It is among the greatest of major sins, but it does not take one out of the religion. And whoever repents, Allah accepts his repentance. Whoever repents from major shirk, or repents from minor shirk, or repents from any of the other sins, Allah accepts his repentance. As for ignorance, it is not an excuse except for one who is cut off from the scholars, to whom no news reaches and who hears nothing, isolated in a remote part of the earth where no news reaches and who did not know of the sending of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and to whom nothing about Islam was ever conveyed. This person is excused by ignorance. But as for one who lives in the lands of Muslims among Muslims, or lives in the lands of disbelievers and hears the Qur'an and hears the hadiths and attends the seminars and lessons of the scholars and persists in shirk, this person is not excused, because the proof has reached him, because the call has reached him and the proof has been established against him. Allah the Exalted said: to warn you thereby, and whoever it has reached, then if the Qur'an has reached him, the proof has been established against him and he is not excused by ignorance.