What! has He taken daughters to Himself of what He Himself creates and chosen you to have sons? 16 And when one of them is given news of that of which he sets up as a likeness for the Beneficent Allah, his face becomes black and he is full of rage. 17 Can one who has been raised on ornaments and cannot present her case coolly in a dispute (be associated with God?) 18 And they have made the angels, who are servants of the Most Merciful, females. Did they witness their creation? Their testimony will be recorded, and they will be questioned. 19 They say: 'Had it been the will of the Merciful, we would never have worshipped them' Of this they have no knowledge, they are but guessing. 20 Had We, before sending the Quran, given them a book to which they now refer as an authority? 21 In fact, they say, "We found our fathers following a certain belief and we now follow in their footsteps for our guidance". 22 In the same way, whenever We had sent a Messenger before you to warn a town, the rich ones therein said, "We found our fathers following a certain belief and we follow in their footsteps. 23 ۞ [Whereupon each prophet] would say: "Why, even though I bring you guidance better than that which you found your forefathers believing in?" - [to which] the others would reply, "Behold, we deny that there is any truth in [what you claim to be] your messages!" 24 And so We inflicted Our retribution on them: and behold what happened in the end to those who gave the lie to the truth! 25