And who could be more wicked than he who attributes his own lying inventions to God or gives the lie to His messages? Verily, such evildoers will never attain to a happy state: 21 On the Day when We gather them all together, We will say to those who associated [others with Us], "Where are those partners that you claimed?" 22 Then they will have no excuse but to say, "By God our Lord, we have never been polytheists." 23 See how they lie to themselves, and how those [the deities] they invented have deserted them. 24 And among them is one who listens to you; and We have put covers upon their hearts so they may not understand it, and deafness in their ears; and (even) if they see all the signs, they will not believe in them; to the extent that when they come to you to debate with you, the disbelievers say, “This is nothing but stories of former people.” 25 And they prevent [others] from him and are [themselves] remote from him. And they do not destroy except themselves, but they perceive [it] not. 26 If only you could see them standing in the fire saying, "Would that we could return to the worldly life. We would never reject any of our Lord's revelations and we would be true believers." 27 Nay, but that hath become clear unto them which before they used to hide. And if they were sent back they would return unto that which they are forbidden. Lo! they are liars. 28 And they say: there is naught but our life of the world, nor are we to be raised. 29 If you could but see when they will be made to stand before their Lord. He will say, "Is this not the truth?" They will say, "Yes, by our Lord." He will [then] say, "So taste the punishment because you used to disbelieve." 30