What does « Tunnel / To seek » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Tunnel / To seek (نقب) in the Quran, with 3 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

نقب

Tunnel / To seek

Root: ن - ق - ب

Quranic language 3 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 3 min read

Definition of Tunnel / To seek

An-Naqb refers to piercing and crossing.

The Almighty says: 'They traveled through the land' (Qaf 36).

Naqqaba means to pierce and explore.

An-naqīb is the examining chief.

An-nuqabā' are the chiefs.

Tunnel / To seek in the Quran (3)

Meccan: 2 Medinan: 1

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-Maida 1

Al-Kahf 1

Qaf 1

Surah Al-Maida : 12 Medinan

﴿وَلَقَدْ أَخَذَ ٱللَّهُ مِيثَٰقَ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ وَبَعَثْنَا مِنْهُمُ ٱثْنَىْ عَشَرَ نَقِيبًا وَقَالَ ٱللَّهُ إِنِّى مَعَكُمْ لَئِنْ أَقَمْتُمُ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَيْتُمُ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَءَامَنتُم بِرُسُلِى وَعَزَّرْتُمُوهُمْ وَأَقْرَضْتُمُ ٱللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا لَّأُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنكُمْ سَيِّـَٔاتِكُمْ وَلَأُدْخِلَنَّكُمْ جَنَّٰتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ فَمَن كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ مِنكُمْ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَآءَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ﴾

And Allah had already taken a covenant from the Children of Israel, and We delegated from among them twelve leaders. And Allah said, "I am with you. If you establish prayer and give zakah and believe in My messengers and support them and loan Allah a goodly loan, I will surely remove from you your misdeeds and admit you to gardens beneath which rivers flow. But whoever of you disbelieves after that has certainly strayed from the soundness of the way."

Surah Al-Kahf : 97 Meccan

﴿فَمَا ٱسْطَٰعُوٓا۟ أَن يَظْهَرُوهُ وَمَا ٱسْتَطَٰعُوا۟ لَهُۥ نَقْبًا﴾

So Gog and Magog were unable to pass over it, nor were they able [to effect] in it any penetration.

Surah Qaf : 36 Meccan

﴿وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُم مِّن قَرْنٍ هُمْ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُم بَطْشًا فَنَقَّبُوا۟ فِى ٱلْبِلَٰدِ هَلْ مِن مَّحِيصٍ﴾

And how many a generation before them did We destroy who were greater than them in [striking] power and had explored throughout the lands. Is there any place of escape?