Or chooseth He daughters of all that He hath created, and honoureth He you with sons? 16 And when one of them is given good tidings of that which he attributes to the Most Merciful in comparison, his face becomes dark, and he suppresses grief. 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 themselves servants of the All-merciful, females. What, did they witness their creation? Their witness shall be written down, and they shall be questioned. 19 And they say: If the Beneficent One had (so) willed, we should not have worshipped them. They have no knowledge whatsoever of that. They do but guess. 20 Or did We bring them a Book aforetime to which they hold? 21 Nay, for they say only: Lo! we found our fathers following a religion, and we are guided by their footprints. 22 Thus, We never sent an admonisher to a settlement before you but the decadent among them said. "We found our fathers following this way, and we are walking in their footsteps." 23 ۞ Say: 'What, though I should bring you a better guidance than you found your fathers upon?' They say, 'We disbelieve in that you were sent with.' 24 Then We punished them. So look at the fate of those who denied. 25