Or [do you think,] perchance, that out of all His creation He has chosen for Himself daughters, and favoured 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 What, one who is reared amid ornaments and, when the time of altercation comes, is not to be seen? 18 They consider the angels, God's servants, to be female. Did they witness their creation? Their claim will be put on record and they will be questioned about it. 19 They say, 'Had the All-merciful so willed, we would not have served them.' They have no knowledge of that; they are only conjecturing. 20 Or have We given them a Book before this which they hold fast to? 21 No indeed! They say, "We have found our fathers following a certain course, and we are guided by their footsteps." 22 And in this wise We sent not before thee into any city a warner but the affluent thereof said: verily we! we found our fathers on a certain way and verily their footsteps we are following. 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 revenge from them – therefore see what sort of fate befell those who denied! 25