The Disbeliever is just like an Animal
Allah then made a parable of the disbelievers, just as He said in another Ayah:
﴿áöáøóÐöíäó áÇó íõÄúãöäõæäó ÈöÇáÇøñÎöÑóÉö ãóËóáõ ÇáÓøóæúÁö﴾
(For those who believe not in the Hereafter is an evil description.) (16:60)
Similarly, Allah said here (2:171 above)
﴿æóãóËóáõ ÇáøóÐöíäó ßóÝóÑõæÇú﴾
(And the example of those who disbelieve...) meaning, in their injustice, misguidance and ignorance, they are just like wandering animals, not understanding what they are told; if the shepherd heralds them or calls them to what benefits them, they would not understand what is actually being said to them, for they only hear unintelligible sounds. This is what is reported from Ibn `Abbas, Abu Al-`Aliyah, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, `Ata', Al-Hasan, Qatadah, `Ata' Al-Khurasani and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas.
﴿Õõãøñ Èõßúãñ Úõãúìñ﴾
(They are deaf, dumb, and blind.) means, they are deaf, as they do not hear the truth; mute, as they do not utter it; and blind, as they do not see or recognize its path and way.
﴿Ýóåõãú áÇó íóÚúÞöáõæäó﴾
(So they do not understand.) means, they do not comprehend or understand anything.
﴿íÜÃóíøõåóÇ ÇáøóÐöíäó ÁóÇãóäõæÇú ßõáõæÇú ãöä ØóíøöÈóÇÊö ãóÇ ÑóÒóÞúäóÜßõãú æóÇÔúßõÑõæÇú ááøóåö Åöä ßõäÊõãú ÅöíøóÇåõ ÊóÚúÈõÏõæäó - ÅöäøóãóÇ ÍóÑøóãó Úóáóíúßõãõ ÇáúãóíúÊóÉó æóÇáÏøóãó æóáóÍúãó ÇáúÎöäÒöíÑö æóãó Ãõåöáøó Èöåö áöÛóíúÑö Çááøóåö Ýóãóäö ÇÖúØõÑøó ÛóíúÑó ÈóÇÛò æóáÇó ÚóÇÏò ÝóáÇó ÅöËúãó Úóáóíúåö Åöäøó Çááøóåó ÛóÝõæÑñ ÑøóÍöíãñ ﴾
(172. O you who believe (in the Oneness of Allah Ü Islamic Monotheism)! Eat of the lawful things that We have provided you with, and be grateful to Allah, if it is indeed He Whom you worship). (173. He has forbidden you only the Maitah (dead animals), and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for other than Allah. But if one is forced by necessity without willful disobedience nor transgressing due limits, then there is no sin on him. Truly, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.)