"And they were greater than them in power," meaning: in force. "And they cultivated the earth," meaning: they plowed it, "and they populated it more than they have populated it," meaning: more than these people have populated it. "And it was not Allah who would wrong them," meaning: the disbelievers of the past nations, so He would punish them without a sin, "but they were themselves wronging," by their disbelief and their denial; meaning: they have traveled through the land and seen the traces of those who were before them, which frightens them that what befell them might befall them if they do not believe.
﴿وَكَانُوا أَشد مِنْهُم قُوَّة﴾ أَي: بطشا ﴿وأثاروا الأَرْض﴾ أَيْ: حَرَثُوهَا ﴿وَعَمَرُوهَا أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا عمروها﴾ أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا عَمَرَ هَؤُلَاءِ ﴿فَمَا كَانَ الله ليظلمهم﴾ يَعْنِي: كُفَّارَ الْأَمَمِ الْخَالِيَةِ فَيُعَذِّبَهُمْ عَلَى غَيْرِ ذَنْبٍ ﴿وَلَكِنْ كَانُوا أنفسهم يظْلمُونَ﴾ بِكُفْرِهِمْ وَتَكْذِيبِهِمْ؛ أَيْ: قَدْ [سَارُوا] فِي الْأَرْضِ وَرَأَوا آثَارَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ يُخَوِّفُهُمْ أَنْ يَنْزِلَ بِهِمْ مَا نَزَلَ بِهِمْ إِنْ لم يُؤمنُوا.
