Or has He taken from those He has created daughters for Himself, and assigned sons to you? 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 Can one who has been raised on ornaments and cannot present her case coolly in a dispute (be associated with God?) 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 ("Ah!") they say, "If it had been the will of (Allah) Most Gracious, we should not have worshipped such (deities)!" Of that they have no knowledge! they do nothing but lie! 20 What! have We given them a Book before this, to which they are holding fast? 21 In fact they say: "We found our fathers following a certain way, and are guided by their footprints." 22 Even so We sent never before thee any warner into any city, except that its men who lived at ease said, 'We indeed found our fathers upon a community, and we are following upon their traces.' 23 ۞ [Whereupon each prophet] would say: "Why, even though I bring you guidance better than that which you found your forefathers believing in?" - [to which] the others would reply, "Behold, we deny that there is any truth in [what you claim to be] your messages!" 24 So We exacted retribution from them: now see what was the end of those who rejected (Truth)! 25