Or chooseth He daughters of all that He hath created, and honoureth He you with sons? 16 For [thus it is:] if any of them is given the glad tiding of [the birth of] what he so readily attributes to the Most Gracious, his face darkens, and he is filled with suppressed anger: 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 They say: 'Had it been the will of the Merciful, we would never have worshipped them' Of this they have no knowledge, they are but guessing. 20 Had We, before sending the Quran, given them a book to which they now refer as an authority? 21 Nay! they say: verily we have found our fathers on a certain way, and verily by their footsteps we are guided. 22 As such, We never sent a warner before you to a village, except those living in luxury said: 'We found our fathers following a creed, and by following in their footsteps we are guided' 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 took retribution from them; then see how was the end of the deniers. 25