Has He chosen daughters for Himself from His creation, and selected only 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 What! that which is made in ornaments and which in contention is unable to make plain speech! 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 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 Or did We bestow upon them a Book before on whose authority they are holding on (to angel-worship)? 21 In fact, they say, "We found our fathers following a certain belief and we now follow in their footsteps for our guidance". 22 Whenever We sent a messenger before you to warn a township, the affluent among them said, in the same way, "We saw our fathers following this tradition; we are only following in their footsteps." 23 ۞ "Even if I bring you a better guidance," he rejoined, "than the one you found your fathers on?" Still they said: "We do not believe in what you have brought." 24 Then We punished them. So look at the fate of those who denied. 25