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 Behold how they lie against themselves, and how that which they were forging has gone astray from them! 24 And of them there are some who listen to you; but We have set veils on their hearts, so they understand it not, and deafness in their ears; if they see every one of the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) they will not believe therein; to the point that when they come to you to argue with you, the disbelievers say: "These are nothing but tales of the men of old." 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 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 In fact it has become clear to them what they used to hide before; and were they to be sent back, they would commit the same which they were forbidden to, and undoubtedly they are liars. 28 And they said: "There is no (other life) but our (present) life of this world, and never shall we be resurrected (on the Day of Resurrection)." 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