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 Attempting to answer, they will say, "Lord, we swear by Your Name that we were not pagans". 23 Look! How they lie against themselves! But the (lie) which they invented will disappear from them. 24 And of them are some who hearken unto thee, and We have set over their hearts veils lest they understand it and in their ears heaviness, and though they see any sign they will not believe therein; in as much as when they come to thee, they dispute with thee, then who disbelieve say: this is naught but the fables of the ancients. 25 As for others, they prevent them from embracing the Truth; and themselves, they flee from it (so as to harm you). But they court their own ruin, although they do not realize it. 26 If thou couldst see when they are set before the Fire and say: Oh, would that we might return! Then would we not deny the revelations of our Lord but we would be of the believers! 27 No! They will say this merely because the Truth which they had concealed will become obvious to them; or else if they were sent back, they would still revert to what was forbidden to them. (So this plea of theirs would be a lie too) for they are just liars. 28 They say: "There is no other life but that of this world, and we will not be raised (from the dead)." 29 If you could only see when they are made to stand before their Lord! He will ask them, "Is this [second life] not the truth?" They will say, "Yes, by our Lord!" He will say, "Then, taste the punishment that comes from your having refused to acknowledge the truth!" 30