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 of Judgment when We will gather all people together, We will ask the pagans, "Where are those whom you believed to be your gods?" 22 Then their excuse will be but to say: "By God our Lord, we were not idolaters." 23 See how they lie against themselves, and (how) the thing which they devised hath failed them! 24 And of them is he who hearkens to you, and We have cast veils over their hearts lest they understand it and a heaviness into their ears; and even if they see every sign they will not believe in it; so much so that when they come to you they only dispute with you; those who disbelieve say: This is naught but the stories of the ancients. 25 and they bar others from believing and themselves keep away. But they ruin no one but themselves, though they fail to realize this. 26 And if you see them when they will be placed above hell, they will say, “Alas, if only we might be sent back and not deny the signs of our Lord, and become Muslims!” 27 Whatever they had concealed will be revealed to them. If they were to return to (the worldly life), they would again worship idols, for they are liars. 28 And they say, "There is none but our worldly life, and we will not be resurrected." 29 If you could but see when they will be made to stand before their Lord. He will say: 'Is not this the truth?' They will say: 'Yes indeed, by our Lord.'Whereupon He will say: 'Taste the chastisement, then, for your denying the Truth.' 30