Or, has He taken daughters from those He has created for Himself and favored sons for you? 16 And if one of them hath tidings of that which he likeneth to the Beneficent One, his countenance becometh black and he is full of inward rage. 17 Do they assign to Allah one who grows up amidst ornaments and is not well-versed in the art of disputation? 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 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 a Book before this which they hold fast to? 21 Nay! they say: We found our fathers on a course, and surely we are guided by their footsteps. 22 And thus, We did not send before you any warner in a town, but those who led easy lives in it said: Surely we found our fathers on a course, and surely we are followers of their footsteps. 23 ۞ Each Prophet asked them: “Will you do so even if we were to show you a way better than the way of your forefathers?” They answered: “We disbelieve in the religion with which you have been sent.” 24 So we took retribution from them; then see how was the end of the deniers. 25