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 for one Day We shall gather them all together, and then We shall say unto those who ascribed divinity to aught beside God: "Where, now, are those beings whom you imagined to have a share in God's divinity?" 22 Then their excuse will be but to say: "By God our Lord, we were not idolaters." 23 Behold! how they lie against their own souls! But the (lie) which they invented will leave them in the lurch. 24 And among them is one who listens to you; and We have put covers upon their hearts so they may not understand it, and deafness in their ears; and (even) if they see all the signs, they will not believe in them; to the extent that when they come to you to debate with you, the disbelievers say, “This is nothing but stories of former people.” 25 And they forbid it, and keep afar from it, and it is only themselves they destroy, but they are not aware. 26 And couldst thou see what time they shall be held over the Fire, and then they will say: would that we were sent back and now we shall not belie the signs of our Lord and we shall be of the believers. 27 Yea, in their own (eyes) will become manifest what before they concealed. But if they were returned, they would certainly relapse to the things they were forbidden, for they are indeed 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 thou couldst see when they are set before their Lord! He will say: Is not this real? They will say: Yea, verily, by our Lord! He will say: Taste now the retribution for that ye used to disbelieve. 30