Or has He taken daughters out of what He has created, and He has selected for you sons? 16 And when any of them is given the good tidings of that he has likened to the All-merciful, his face is darkened, and he chokes inwardly. 17 Hath He taken to Himself that which is reared in ornaments, and is in contention not plain? 18 And they make the angels who are the bondmen of the Compassionate females. Have they witnessed their creation? Their testimony will be written down, and they will be questioned. 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 Have We vouchsafed unto them any Book before this, so that they are to it holding fast? 21 In fact, they say, "We found our fathers following a certain belief and we now follow in their footsteps for our guidance". 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 ۞ [Each warner] said, "Even if I brought you better guidance than that [religion] upon which you found your fathers?" They said, "Indeed we, in that with which you were sent, are disbelievers." 24 So We requited them. Then see the nature of the consequence for the rejecters! 25