Is this Ayat contrary to Islam being universal?

Question: According to the verse:

And never did We destroy a town but it had a term made known.[67]

There was no Prophet from any community who did not stand up and did not talk in their own language. And the heavenly book also used to be in the language of those people. Therefore if the apostleship of a Prophet is specially for that community, then that system would have been very much likeable, but if his apostleship is universal and for the people of the whole world, then why it is necessary that his book should be in the language of those people say for example, the book brought by the Prophet of Islam (‘s) is in the Arabic language?

Answer: Those Prophets who were sent for the guidance of the people since their very first concern was with their own people, therefore it was necessary that the heavenly book which they brought should be in the language of their people and then he should do propagation of his message and in other communities in different other ways.

Nowadays the knowledgeable personalities of every country are trying that their books be written in the language of the people of that country. However what is entered into those books is never solely especially for the people of those areas.

Since the Prophet of Islam (‘s) came from the Arab community and in the initial stage he had to deal with Arab clans and tribes therefore, his book is in one of the world’s comprehensive and living language; that is Arabic. Whereas its laws and commands are connected to all the human beings.

If at the time of the prophethood of the Holy Prophet (‘s) a universal and international language had existed and if all the people were knowing and understanding that language and spoke in that language, then in that case it would have been most appropriate that the Prophet’s heavenly book was also in that language. There was no such language in those days, nor is to this date, and there is no further progress till now in this regard.

On the basis of whatever is stated above the Holy Quran being in Arabic language, is not at all negating that Islam is a universal religion. In more clear words it should be said that the above-mentioned verse says that Allah has sent every Prophet to his community with the message in their own language, but that does not mean that, the apostleship of the Prophet and guidance was limited specifically for that community only.

Any Prophet or his book being in the language of his people is never the proof that his Prophethood was limited to this people only. But, his religion being specific or general should be decided by other means.

It is also evident that Islam is above race and language and it takes the whole world as its home and the Holy Quran is in Arabic because there is no international language. Therefore the allegation that Islam is a religion of a particular race is not a correct stand.

That Islam is a universal is known through many ways, but here it is not possible to give all the details. For details refer to Din-e-Hikmat published by Jamea-e-Ta’alimate Islami.

Notes:

[67] Surah Ibrahim 15:4