Or has He taken daughters out of what He has created, and He has selected for you sons? 16 Yet when one of them is given glad news of (a daughter) that which he likened to the Merciful his face darkens and he chokes inwardly (with gloom). 17 (As such they attribute to Allah) who is brought up among ornaments but when disputes arise are powerless. 18 And [yet] they claim that the angels - who in themselves are but beings created by the Most Gracious - are females: [but] did they witness their creation? This false claim of theirs will be recorded, and they will be called to account [for it on Judgment Day]! 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 Or have We, perchance, vouchsafed them, before this one, a revelation [to the contrary,] to which they are still holding fast? 21 Nay, but they say, 'We found our fathers upon a community, and we are guided upon their traces.' 22 In the same way, whenever We had sent a Messenger before you to warn a town, the rich ones therein said, "We found our fathers following a certain belief and we follow in their footsteps. 23 ۞ Say: 'What, though I should bring you a better guidance than you found your fathers upon?' They say, 'We disbelieve in that you were sent with.' 24 So we took retribution from them; then see how was the end of the deniers. 25