What! has He taken daughters to Himself of what He Himself creates and chosen you to have sons? 16 And when one of them is given news of that of which he sets up as a likeness for the Beneficent Allah, his face becomes black and he is full of rage. 17 So is one brought up in ornaments while being during conflict unevident [attributed to Allah]? 18 And they make the angels-- them who are the servants of the Beneficent Allah-- female (divinities). What! did they witness their creation? Their evidence shall be written down and they shall 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 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 ۞ The Messengers would say, "Would you still follow in the footsteps of your fathers even if I was to bring you better guidance?" They would say, "We have no faith in your message". 24 And so We inflicted Our retribution on them: and behold what happened in the end to those who gave the lie to the truth! 25