What! has He taken daughters out of what He himself creates, and granted to you sons for choice? 16 When one of them is given the glad news of the birth of a daughter, which they believe to be the only kind of child that the Beneficent God can have, his face blackens with anger. 17 "What! [Am I to have a daughter] one who is to be reared [only] for the sake of ornament?" and thereupon he finds himself torn by a vague inner conflict. 18 Yet they have made the angels, who are creatures of Ar-Rahman, females. Did they witness their creation? We shall record their testimony, and they will be interrogated. 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 Nay, for they say only: Lo! we found our fathers following a religion, and we are guided by their footprints. 22 And thus, We did not send before you any warner in a town, but those who led easy lives in it said: Surely we found our fathers on a course, and surely we are followers of 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 So We exacted retribution from them: now see what was the end of those who rejected (Truth)! 25