What is the difference between disbelief and associating partners with Allah?

Question:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh. This person asks: What is the difference between disbelief and associating partners with Allah?

Answer:
Disbelief may be by denial; it is by denial, so he does not believe in Allah at all. As for shirk (associating partners with Allah), the one who commits shirk believes in Allah, but he worships others alongside Him. The one who commits shirk is in a better state than the disbeliever. The disbeliever means he does not believe in Allah, whereas the one who commits shirk believes in Allah but associates others with Him in worship. For this reason, they said: Every one who commits shirk is a disbeliever, but not every disbeliever is one who commits shirk. The disbeliever may be an atheist who does not believe in Allah and does not believe in a Lord. As for the one who commits shirk, he believes in Allah with some belief, but he associates others with Him in worship. Yes.