Who is more wicked than he who invents a lie about Allah or belies His verses? The harmdoers shall never prosper. 21 And let them beware the Day whereon We shall gather them all together; then We shall say unto those who associated: where are your associate-gods whom ye have been asserting? 22 Then will they have no contention save that they will say: By Allah, our Lord, we never were idolaters. 23 See how they lie against their own souls, and that which they forged has passed away from them. 24 Of them are some who listen unto thee, but We have placed upon their hearts veils, lest they should understand, and in their ears a deafness. If they saw every token they would not believe therein; to the point that, when they come unto thee to argue with thee, the disbelievers say: This is naught else than fables of the men of old. 25 And they forbid it, and keep afar from it, and it is only themselves they destroy, but they are not aware. 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 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 (sometimes) say: "There is nothing except our life on this earth, and never shall we be raised up again." 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