Is the ruling that a person is a mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah) reserved only for scholars?

The questioner:
He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, is the ruling that a person is a mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah) reserved only for scholars, or do the common people have the right to say that someone who falls into shirk (associating partners with Allah) is a disbeliever and a mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah)?

The Shaykh:
Whoever displays shirk (associating partners with Allah) is a mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah). Whoever calls upon other than Allah, slaughters for other than Allah, or makes a vow for other than Allah, is a mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah), in the view of the common people and the scholars alike.

The questioner:
He says: Honorable.

The Shaykh:
O Ali, O Husayn, this is a mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah); everyone knows that he is a mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah). Yes.