Or has He taken daughters out of what He has created, and He has selected for you sons? 16 And if one of them is given the glad tidings of what he professes regarding the Most Gracious, his face blackens and he is mournful! 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 appoint the angels, who are the bondmen of the Most Gracious, as females; were they present at the time of the angels’ creation? Their declaration will be now recorded and they will be questioned. 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 What! have We given them a Book before this, to which they are holding fast? 21 No, but they say: 'We found our fathers following a creed, and by following in their footsteps we are guided. 22 Just in the same way, whenever We sent a Warner before thee to any people, the wealthy ones among them said: "We found our fathers following a certain religion, and we will certainly follow in their footsteps." 23 ۞ (The warner) said: What! even if I bring to you a better guide than that on which you found your fathers? They said: Surely we are unbelievers in that with which you are sent. 24 So We exacted retribution from them: now see what was the end of those who rejected (Truth)! 25