Or chooseth He daughters of all that He hath created, and honoureth He you with sons? 16 And if one of them hath tidings of that which he likeneth to the Beneficent One, his countenance becometh black and he is full of inward rage. 17 (Do they then like for Allah) a creature who is brought up in adornments (wearing silk and gold ornaments, i.e. women), and in dispute cannot make herself clear? 18 And they make the angels who themselves are slaves to the Most Beneficent (Allah) females. Did they witness their creation? Their evidence will be recorded, and they will be questioned! 19 They say, 'Had the All-merciful so willed, we would not have served them.' They have no knowledge of that; they are only conjecturing. 20 Or have We given them a book before it so that they hold fast to it? 21 Nay, for they say only: Lo! we found our fathers following a religion, and we are guided by their footprints. 22 And thus it is: whenever We sent any warner to a city its affluent ones said: “We found our forefathers on a way and we continue to follow in their footsteps.” 23 ۞ The warner said: What! even though I bring you a better guidance than that which ye found your fathers upon? They said: verily in that wherewith ye are sent we are disbelievers. 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