^There are hypocrites and racists in every community and I condemn them fully.
As for Arabic, it is our religious language that keeps us united and you cannot understand the deen without learning the Scripture's language. You're right that it is our intention that counts and my intention is that I'm following a Prophetic tradition because I love him.
Also, the beauty of recitation that comes with the original language and it cannot be found in other languages.
Jews also pray in original language and that proves that it's also the tradition of Abrahamic Religions. Christians started to translate their Scriptures and now they have completely lost the original languge as well as the message.
To be devils advocate. Arabic did not keep us united. There are many sects among Muslims , is that sign of unity ? Muslim countries waged wars against other Muslim countries is that sign of unity ? Muslim ummah does not have consensus on major issues of the world , is that sense of unity ?
Beauty of recitation is not a requirement for salaat. Is it ? What if someone has speech disability ? His salaat will not be valid ? Also even many Arabs lack the beauty of recitation.
All the tradition of Abrahamic religions are not mandated for us to follow.
Logical reason why translation from Arabic is not allowed in prayers that lets say I translate the Quran to English. Now you want to pray in Urdu, you will not got to the source, rather may use my translation to translate in Urdu and then someone will use yours to translate in Punjabi ..
Very soon you will have a Bengali version of Quran that has nothing to do with the original text.
This is a major reason why Bible and other holy books could not keep their originality because they were lost in translation.
That makes a lot of sense.
But as per Allah's promise Quran will always remain in its original form so anybody can always revert to Quran in Arabic and correct the mistakes made in translation. No ?