Who is more wicked than he who invents a lie about Allah or belies His verses? The harmdoers shall never prosper. 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 there will be no [excuse upon] examination except they will say, "By Allah, our Lord, we were not those who associated." 23 Look how they lie against themselves, and how that which they were forging has gone astray from them! 24 Some of them listen to you, but We have veiled their hearts so that they cannot understand and made them deaf. They disbelieve all the evidence (of Our existence) that they may have seen. They only come to you for the sake of argument and the disbelievers say that (whatever Muhammad says) is no more than ancient legends. 25 Others they keep away from it, and themselves they keep away; but they only destroy their own souls, and they perceive it not. 26 If thou couldst but see when they are confronted with the Fire! They will say: "Would that we were but sent back! Then would we not reject the signs of our Lord, but would be amongst those who believe!" 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 And they say: There is naught save our life of the world, and we shall not be raised (again). 29 If you see them when they are put before their Lord, He will say to them: "Is not this the truth?" They will answer: "Indeed, by our Lord." He will say: "Then taste the agony of punishment for what you had denied." 30