Or, has He taken daughters from those He has created for Himself and favored sons for you? 16 When any of them is given the news of the very thing [i.e. a female child] which he himself has ascribed to the All Merciful, his face darkens and he is filled with grief -- 17 (As such they attribute to Allah) who is brought up among ornaments but when disputes arise are powerless. 18 They claim that angels, who are Allah's chosen servants, are females. Did they witness how their body is constituted? Their testimony shall be written and they shall be called to account. 19 And they say: If the Beneficent Allah had pleased, we should never have worshipped them. They have no knowledge of this; they only lie. 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 ۞ Say: 'What, though I should bring you a better guidance than you found your fathers upon?' They say, 'We disbelieve in that you were sent with.' 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