﴿ وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسْتُضْعِفُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ ٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ بَلْ مَكْرُ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ إِذْ تَأْمُرُونَنَآ أَن نَّكْفُرَ بِٱللَّهِ وَنَجْعَلَ لَهُۥٓ أَندَادًۭا ۚ وَأَسَرُّوا۟ ٱلنَّدَامَةَ لَمَّا رَأَوُا۟ ٱلْعَذَابَ وَجَعَلْنَا ٱلْأَغْلَٰلَ فِىٓ أَعْنَاقِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ۚ هَلْ يُجْزَوْنَ إِلَّا مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ ﴾

“But those who had been weak will say unto those who had gloried in their arrogance: “Nay, [what kept us away was your] devising of false arguments, night and day, [against God’s messages- as you did] when you persuaded us to blaspheme against God and to claim that there are powers that could rival Him!” And when they see the suffering [that awaits them], they will [all] be unable to express [the full depth of] their remorse: for We shall have put shackles around the necks of those who had been bent on denying the truth: [and] will this be aught but a [just] requital for what they were doing?”

Denial of Truth is the greatest crime. The result of this crime does not become apparent to an individual in this world. Therefore, he goes on fearlessly denying the Truth. But, in the Hereafter, when the adverse effect of denying the Truth impinges on the deniers, they will be caught in a state of turmoil. The common people, in this world, were proud of their leaders, but once in the Hereafter, they will curse them. In reply, their leaders will say, ‘Don’t blame us to cover up your ignominy. It was not we who misguided you but your own desires. You were with us simply because our words were in consonance with your own desires. You wanted a religion in which you could get credit for being righteous without taking much trouble and without changing yourself, and we provided you with it. You put our noose around your neck of your own accord; otherwise, we had no power to do so.’