Overall meaning : Allah Almighty directs the faithful to uphold justice in all circumstances—both with regard to Allah’s rights and people’s rights—and to bear witness to the truth thereby seeking His good pleasure even if the testimony is against themselves, their parents or their relatives. Nor should they be affected by any motives if the testimony is for or against the poor or the rich: they should neither attempt to please the rich because of their richness, nor pity the poor because of their poverty, for He knows better about them and can best take care of both. He further instructs them not to follow their own desires lest they deviate from justice and warns that if they deliberately distort the testimony, conceal the truth when bearing testimony or decline to bear truthful witness, they should bear in mind that He is fully aware of all that they do, and that He will take account of all that and according to their deeds accordingly He will repay.
He further commands them to continue to hold fast to their belief in Him and His Prophet, Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, perfect their faith, and to believe the Qur’an and the books He has previously revealed, warning that whoever disbelieves in Him and His angels, His Books, His Messengers and the Last Day has truly wandered far away from the right path.
The Almighty then states that He will never forgive, nor will ever guide to the path of truth those who accept the faith and then renounce it, then again embrace it and again deny it and then grow more obstinate in their unbelief.