Or chooseth He daughters of all that He hath created, and honoureth He you with sons? 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 (Liken they then to Allah) that which is bred up in outward show, and in dispute cannot make itself plain? 18 And they make the angels, who are the slaves of the Beneficent, females. Did they witness their creation? Their testimony will be recorded and they will be questioned. 19 And they say: If the Beneficent One had (so) willed, we should not have worshipped them. They have no knowledge whatsoever of that. They do but guess. 20 Have We vouchsafed unto them any Book before this, so that they are to it holding fast? 21 Nay, but they say: "Behold, We found our forefathers agreed on what to believe - and verily, it is in their footsteps that we find our guidance!" 22 And similarly, We did not send before you any warner into a city except that its affluent said, "Indeed, we found our fathers upon a religion, and we are, in their footsteps, following." 23 ۞ Say: 'What then if I bring you a better guidance than that you found your fathers following' But they reply: 'We disbelieve in that you have been sent with.' 24 So We took revenge from them – therefore see what sort of fate befell those who denied! 25