Or [do you think,] perchance, that out of all His creation He has chosen for Himself daughters, and favoured you with sons? 16 And if one of them hath tidings of that which he likeneth to the Beneficent One, his countenance becometh black and he is full of inward rage. 17 So is one brought up in ornaments while being during conflict unevident [attributed to Allah]? 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 said: "If it had been the Will of the Most Beneficent (Allah), we should not have worshipped them (false deities)." They have no knowledge whatsoever of that. They do nothing but lie! 20 Or have We given them any Book before this (the Quran), 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 Thus, We never sent an admonisher to a settlement before you but the decadent among them said. "We found our fathers following this way, and we are walking 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 So We requited them. Then see the nature of the consequence for the rejecters! 25