O you who have believed, do not kill game while you are in the state of iḥrām. And whoever of you kills it intentionally - the penalty is an equivalent from sacrificial animals to what he killed, as judged by two just men among you as an offering [to Allāh] delivered to the Kaʿbah, or an expiation: the feeding of needy people or the equivalent of that in fasting, that he may taste the consequence of his matter [i.e., deed]. Allāh has pardoned what is past; but whoever returns [to violation], then Allāh will take retribution from him. And Allāh is Exalted in Might and Owner of Retribution.
(Allah will certainly make a trial for you with something in (the matter of) the game that is well within reach of your hands and your lances,)5:94, refers to, "The weak and young game. Allah tests His servants with such game during their Ihram, that if they wish, they would be able to catch it with their hands. Allah has commanded them to avoid catching it." Mujahid said that,
تَنَالُهُ أَيْدِيكُمْ
(well within reach of your hands) refers to the young game and chicks, while
A report from Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ appearing in the Musnad of Ahmad, quoted in Al-Lubab, says: When the Verse forbidding drinking and gambling had been revealed, some people asked the Holy Prophet ﷺ that there were many people who drank wine and lived off earnings from gambling and then died before these were forbidden. What would happen to them, now that we know about these being حَرَام haram? Thereupon, the verse : لَيْسَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا (On those who believe and do good deeds, there is no sin ...) was revealed.
In a verse appearing earlier (87): يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُحَرِّمُوا طَيِّبَاتِ ( O those who believe, do not make unlawful good things ...), the making of good things unlawful was prohibited. Now, in the verse (94) : يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَيَبْلُوَنَّكُمُ اللَّـهُ بِشَيْءٍ ( those who believe, Allah shall certainly test you with some ... ), it is said that it is Allah Who has that absolute power to declare particular things unlawful in particular circumstances. (Bayan al Qur'an)
The real purpose of this order is that God may know those who fear Him, even if they cannot see Him. God has placed human beings in this world, but has concealed Himself from their eyes. Now, He wants to see who, without seeing Him, is so reality-conscious as to behave righteously, as if he were actually seeing Him with all His powers, unlike those who, not finding God before them, become fearless and behave as they please. This is experienced not only during the short period of the pilgrimage, but also on a daily basis in human relations. A man may gain such control over another that it is quite possible for him to threaten his life, ruin him financially or falsely defame and degrade him. Now, under these conditions, there may conversely be a man who, in spite of having such control and similar opportunity, holds his peace and stays his hands out of fear of God. Of these two, the latter has proved that he fears God without seeing Him, while the former has proved otherwise. The latter has countless divine blessings in store for him, while there shall be a terrible punishment for the former.
Uthmani text of the Madinah mushaf (King Fahd Complex). Translation: Saheeh International. Tafsir via Quran.com.
