Has He chosen daughters for Himself from His creation, and selected only 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 Does God choose for Himself the kind of children who grow up wearing ornaments and who are not strong enough to defend their rights? 18 And they make into females angels who themselves serve Allah. Did they witness their creation? Their evidence will be recorded, and they will be called to account! 19 They say, "If the All Merciful had so willed, we would not have worshipped them." They have no knowledge of that. They are only conjecturing. 20 Did We give them a Scripture before this to which they are holding fast? 21 Rather, they say, "Indeed, we found our fathers upon a religion, and we are in their footsteps [rightly] guided." 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 ۞ (The warner) said: What! even if I bring to you a better guide than that on which you found your fathers? They said: Surely we are unbelievers in that with which you are sent. 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