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 they will have no excuse but to say, "By God our Lord, we have never been polytheists." 23 Observe how they lied against themselves, and how they lost the things they fabricated! 24 And there are among them such as [seem to] listen to thee [O Prophet]: but over their hearts We have laid veils which prevent them from grasping the truth, and into their ears, deafness. And were they to see every sign [of the truth,] they would still not believe in it - so much so that when they come unto thee to contend with thee, those who are bent on denying the truth say: "This is nothing but fables of ancient times!" 25 And they forbid (men) from it and avoid it, and they ruin none save themselves, though they perceive not. 26 And could you see when they are made to stand before the fire, then they shall say: Would that we were sent back, and we would not reject the communications of our Lord and we would be of the believers. 27 But nay - [they will say this only because] the truth which they used to conceal [from themselves] in the past will have become obvious to them; and if they were brought back [to life,] they would return to the very thing which was forbidden to them: for behold, they are indeed liars! 28 And they say: there is naught but our life of the world, nor are we to be raised. 29 If thou couldst but see when they are confronted with their Lord! He will say: "Is not this the truth?" They will say: "Yea, by our Lord!" He will say: "Taste ye then the penalty, because ye rejected Faith." 30