Or has He taken daughters out of what He has created, and He has selected for you sons? 16 And when one of them is given news of that of which he sets up as a likeness for the Beneficent Allah, his face becomes black and he is full of rage. 17 And (do they chose for Him) one who is brought up among ornaments, and cannot express herself clearly in debate? 18 They claim that the angels, who are themselves the worshipers of the Merciful, are females. Did they witness their creation! Their witness shall be written down and they shall be questioned. 19 And they say: If the Beneficent One had (so) willed, we should not have worshipped them. They have no knowledge whatsoever of that. They do but guess. 20 Had We, before sending the Quran, given them a book to which they now refer as an authority? 21 Nay! they say: "We found our fathers following a certain religion, and we do guide ourselves by their footsteps." 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 ۞ (The warner) said: "Even if I bring you better guidance than that which you found your fathers following?" They said: "Verily, We disbelieve in that with which you have been sent." 24 And so We inflicted Our retribution on them: and behold what happened in the end to those who gave the lie to the truth! 25