Or, has He taken daughters from those He has created for Himself and favored sons for you? 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 Do they assign to Allah one who grows up amidst ornaments and is not well-versed in the art of disputation? 18 And they have made the angels, who are themselves servants of the All-merciful, females. What, did they witness their creation? Their witness shall be written down, and they shall be questioned. 19 They say: 'Had it been the will of the Merciful, we would never have worshipped them' Of this they have no knowledge, they are but guessing. 20 Or have We given them any Book before this (the Quran), to which they are holding fast? 21 Nay! They say: "We found our fathers following a certain way and religion, and we guide ourselves by their footsteps." 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 ۞ [Whereupon each prophet] would say: "Why, even though I bring you guidance better than that which you found your forefathers believing in?" - [to which] the others would reply, "Behold, we deny that there is any truth in [what you claim to be] your messages!" 24 So We inflicted retribution on them, then see how was the end of the rejecters. 25