Overall meaning : Allah enjoins the faithful not to ask about matters He has left out or stated without details which, if the answer to them were given and explained in detail would only distress them and cause them a great deal of hardship; but if they enquire about matters after Qur’anic revelations come down regarding them, (such as the meaning of a verse), then they will be made plain to them. He states that He has pardoned their asking such questions before such prohibition, for He is All-Forgiving—He pardons His servants’ sins—and All-Forbearing—He does not hasten to inflict punishment on those who disobey Him.
He mentions that people before their time used to ask questions, out of sheer obstinacy, which they were ordered not to ask, and thereafter fell into unbelief for failing to carry out the commandments given in answer to their questions.
Then He vehemently rejects the Arab idolaters’ claim that He approves their idolatrous practice of making use of certain animals and abstaining from eating their flesh, which they adopted before the advent of Islam without any sound, authoritative knowledge whatsoever. He declares that He has not instituted superstitions like those of a slit-ear she-camel (baheerah), or a she-camel let loose for free pasture and dedicated to idols (sa’ibah), or idol sacrifices for twin-births in animals (waseelah) or stallion-camels freed and let loose after having ensured conception for a set number of she-camels (haam). By so doing, the unbelievers invent falsehoods and attribute them to Allah; most of them do not use their reason and fail to distinguish truth from falsehood.
When they are advised to refer to the Book of Allah and to His Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, so that Allah’s religion and laws become clear to them, they stubbornly reply that what they have found their fathers doing is enough for them. In response to this, Allah reproachfully says: How can they follow in the footsteps of their fathers when their fathers were ignorant and devoid of all guidance?!
Allah then explains to His believing servants that if they steadfastly pursue the right way as they have been commanded, then they do not have to worry about those who have stubbornly rejected to truth and chosen to take the path of error. To Him will they all be returned, and He will inform them of their deeds and repay them according to them.