What! has He taken daughters to Himself of what He Himself creates and chosen you to have 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 What, one who is reared amid ornaments and, when the time of altercation comes, is not to be seen? 18 Yet they have made the angels, who are creatures of Ar-Rahman, females. Did they witness their creation? We shall record their testimony, and they will be interrogated. 19 They say: “Had the Merciful One so willed, we would never have worshipped these deities.” But they have no knowledge of the matter and are simply conjecturing. 20 Or did We bring them a Book aforetime to which they hold? 21 No, but they say: 'We found our fathers following a creed, and by following in their footsteps we are guided. 22 And similarly, We did not send before you any warner into a city except that its affluent said, "Indeed, we found our fathers upon a religion, and we are, in their footsteps, following." 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 So We inflicted retribution on them, then see how was the end of the rejecters. 25