Has God chosen some of His own creatures as daughters for Himself and has given you the preference of having sons? 16 And when there is announced unto any of them the birth of that which he likeneth unto the Compassionate, his countenance remaineth darkened the whole day and he is wroth inwardly. 17 Is then one brought up among trinkets, and unable to give a clear account in a dispute (to be associated with Allah)? 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 Yet they say: "Had [not] the Most Gracious so willed, we would never have worshipped them!" [But] they cannot have any knowledge of [His having willed] such a thing: they do nothing but guess. 20 Or have We, perchance, vouchsafed them, before this one, a revelation [to the contrary,] to which they are still holding fast? 21 Nay! they say: We found our fathers on a course, and surely we are guided by their footsteps. 22 Thus, We never sent an admonisher to a settlement before you but the decadent among them said. "We found our fathers following this way, and we are walking in their footsteps." 23 ۞ (The warner) said: What! even if I bring to you a better guide than that on which you found your fathers? They said: Surely we are unbelievers in that with which you are sent. 24 So we took retribution from them; then see how was the end of the deniers. 25