Has that Muslim who was born with lack of understanding to regard himself an apostate

[Nitro Zeus]

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh,

A Muslim brother of mine, was in preparation for the journeys he sought to take such as gaining information in Islam, science and engineering. And after he remembered that Allah made Islam easy and the one who regards himself as an apostate had no legitimate excuse, so he didn’t even retook his Shahada just because he was in state of intense depression.

After that, it came a easy and beneficial ideas which is that he can learn art of negotiation and persuasion so that his mom will be in agreement with him that he can do Hajj and seek information.

So after it was disapproved for him, for just because he didn’t thought of having a back up plan so that he can have 100% success in Hereafter as well as in this world.

So I was hoping that you could verify his level of understanding about apostasy and guidelines for denunciation. Because he only knows that Apostasy means to deliberately knowingly deny or reject something from Islam. But he isn’t sure if that is even applies to the situation which that person has faced. Here are from where he got this idea: https://islamqa.info/en/answers/1314...disbelief-kufr and https://islamqa.info/en/answers/1246...ue-in-that-way

[Labayk]

Assalaam 'Alaykum

Brother the verses from the Quran: Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allāh. Indeed, Allāh forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful." And return [in repentance] to your Lord and submit to Him before the punishment comes upon you; then you will not be helped. And follow the best of what was revealed to you from your Lord [i.e., the Qur’ān] before the punishment comes upon you suddenly while you do not perceive (az-Zumar: 53-55)

Were revealed in the context of Muslims who left Islam completely in Mecca because of persecution. The Sahabah (radiaAllahu 'Anhum) originally thought that such people were doomed, but then Allah sent these Ayat.

So if someone does something that is Kufr or could be Kufr, then just let them repent, reaffirm their Shahadah, and make a firm resolve not to do it again. No need to despair.