The Shaykh's response to those who ask where Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) derived his statement in the interpretation of the famous verse: "And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, it is they who are..."

The Shaykh : At that point, it becomes clear to us the ignorance of some of the hasty ones when they ask where Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) derived his statement in the interpretation of the famous verse He said, "It is not the disbelief you are referring to, but rather a lesser degree of disbelief." It is as if Ibn 'Abbas is responding in this era to some of the extremists who claim to adhere to the Book and the Sunnah, saying to them, "The disbelief here is not the one you are referring to, meaning it is not the disbelief that expels one from the religion, but rather a lesser degree of disbelief." I have explained this verse in a previous session, so there is no need to repeat that.
In summary, disbelief or shirk (associating partners with Allah) are two synonymous terms. One is doctrinal disbelief, which resides in the heart, and the other is practical disbelief, which resides in the limbs. If the heart is independent in its disbelief, it is apostasy. However, if faith is established in the heart but mixed with some disobedience through the limbs, this is not disbelief. This is the position of the people of the Sunnah and the community.