mightier than them in power." It means: strength. "And they explored (fanaqqabu) the lands," meaning: they wandered about, in the reading of those who recite it with emphasis (tashdid); he says: they wandered throughout the lands when the punishment came to them. As for those who recited it with light articulation (takhfif), he says: they traversed the lands. "Is there any place of escape?" Is there any refuge to which they might resort away from the punishment of Allah? Thus, they found no refuge until they perished.
Muhammad said: "They explored the lands" means they roamed and searched, and this is what Yahya intended. Similar to this is the statement of Imru' al-Qays:
(And I have traversed the horizons until... I became satisfied with returning as the only spoils.)
أَشَدُّ مِنْهُم بَطْشًا﴾ يَعْنِي: قُوَّة ﴿فَنَقَّبُوا فِي الْبِلَادِ﴾ أَي: جوّلوا؛ فِي قِرَاءَة من قَرَأَهَا بالتثقيل، يَقُول: جوَّلوا فِي الْبِلَاد حِين جَاءَهُم الْعَذَاب، وَمن قَرَأَهَا بِالتَّخْفِيفِ يَقُول: فجالوا فِي الْبِلَاد ﴿هَلْ مِن مَّحِيصٍ﴾ هَل من ملْجأ يلجئون إِلَيْهِ من عَذَاب اللَّه، فَلم يَجدوا ملْجأ حَتَّى هَلَكُوا.
قَالَ محمدٌ: (نقبوا فِي الْبِلَاد) أَي: طافوا وفتَّشوا، وَهُوَ الَّذِي أَرَادَ يحيى، وَمثله قَول امْرِئ الْقَيْس:
(وَقَدْ نَقَّبْتُ فِي الآفاقِ حَتَّى … رَضِيتُ مِنَ الغَنِيمَةِ بِالإِيَابِ)
