Exploring the Challenges in Translating Al-Alawi's Sufi Poems Into English

Sufi poetry is a significant genre in Arabic literature and finding translating strategies for this genre is a demanding task. The role of translators of Sufi poetry is not restricted to the task of simply translating the words. Understanding the depth of meaning of Sufi poems is necessary for conveying the spiritual and cultural dimension of the Sufi texts. This chapter investigates challenges in translating Al-Alawi's collection of Sufi poems into English based on the theory translation of Lawrence Venuti (1995). The researchers employed textual analysis to make comparison across translations of certain poems of Al-Alawi. This current chapter ascertains that Venuti's (1995) perspective of domestication and foreignization can help translators to strike the needed balance between cultural integrity and readability of Sufi texts. This chapter proposes that translators of Sufi poetry are expected to spotlight the cultural authenticity and the audience's understanding when translating this type of poetry.