Or has He taken, out of what He has created, daughters and chosen you for [having] sons? 16 Yet when one of them is given glad news of (a daughter) that which he likened to the Merciful his face darkens and he chokes inwardly (with gloom). 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, 'Had the All-merciful so willed, we would not have served them.' They have no knowledge of that; they are only conjecturing. 20 Or have We given them any Book before this (the Quran), to which they are holding fast? 21 Nay, for they say only: Lo! we found our fathers following a religion, and we are guided by their footprints. 22 And thus it is: whenever We sent any warner to a city its affluent ones said: “We found our forefathers on a way and we continue to follow in their footsteps.” 23 ۞ (And the warner) said: What! Even though I bring you better guidance than that ye found your fathers following? They answered: Lo! in what ye bring we are disbelievers. 24 Then We exacted retribution from them. So do consider the end of those who gave the lie (to the Prophets). 25