Or has He taken to Himself, from that He creates, daughters, and favoured you with sons? 16 (They believe so although when) any of them is given tidings of the birth of a female child the like of which he assigns to the Merciful One, his countenance darkens and he is choked with grief. 17 What! that which is made in ornaments and which in contention is unable to make plain speech! 18 And they make the angels who are the bondmen of the Compassionate females. Have they witnessed their creation? Their testimony will be written down, and they will be questioned. 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 Have We vouchsafed unto them any Book before this, so that they are to it holding fast? 21 Nay! they say: We found our fathers on a course, and surely we are guided 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 ۞ "Even if I bring you a better guidance," he rejoined, "than the one you found your fathers on?" Still they said: "We do not believe in what you have brought." 24 So We wreaked Our vengeance on them: now see what was the end of those who rejected [the Truth]! 25