Has He chosen daughters for Himself from His creation, and selected only sons for you? 16 And if one of them is given the glad tidings of what he professes regarding the Most Gracious, his face blackens and he is mournful! 17 Is then one brought up among trinkets, and unable to give a clear account in a dispute (to be associated with Allah)? 18 Do they say that the angels, who are the servants of the Beneficent God, are females? Have they witnessed their creation? Their words as such will be recorded and they will be questioned for it. 19 They say: 'Had it been the will of the Merciful, we would never have worshipped them' Of this they have no knowledge, they are but guessing. 20 Have We vouchsafed unto them any Book before this, so that they are to it holding fast? 21 No indeed! They say, "We have found our fathers following a certain course, and we are guided by their footsteps." 22 Just in the same way, whenever We sent a Warner before thee to any people, the wealthy ones among them said: "We found our fathers following a certain religion, and we will certainly follow in their footsteps." 23 ۞ Each messenger said, "What if I should bring you better guidance than what you found your forefathers had?" They replied, "We reject any message you have been sent with!" 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