Or, has He taken daughters from those He has created for Himself and favored sons for you? 16 When news is brought to one of them of (the birth of) what he sets up as a likeness to (Allah) Most Gracious, his face darkens, and he is filled with inward grief! 17 (As such they attribute to Allah) who is brought up among ornaments but when disputes arise are powerless. 18 They claim that angels, who are Allah's chosen servants, are females. Did they witness how their body is constituted? Their testimony shall be written and they shall be called to account. 19 And they say, “If the Most Gracious had willed, we would not have worshipped them!” They do not know its truth at all; they only make guesses. 20 Or have We given them any Book before this (the Quran), to which they are holding fast? 21 Nay! they say: "We found our fathers following a certain religion, and we do guide ourselves by their footsteps." 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 ۞ [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