Hasan Hamidulla

Hajji Hasan Hamidulla (né Hamidullen: Russian: Хамидуллин, Hamidullin - Literary Tatar: Хәсән Хәмидулла, Xäsän Xämidulla/Xəsən Xəmidulla - also known as Hasan Kulik; 25 November 1895/1900 – 6 October 1988) was a Tatar writer, publisher, entrepreneur and shopkeeper in Finland. Hamidulla was among the most active writers and publishers of his community. His work consists of histories, religious texts and also for example prose text such as poetry and plays. Hamidulla had his own printing press and he distributed his work for free. For decades, Hamidulla operated an electronics shop he had established.

Biography

Hasan Hamidulla (Hamidullen) was born in the Russian Empire, Nizhny Novgorod Governorate - a village named Aktuk. He moved to the then-Grand Duchy of Finland in 1915 with his merchant father Nisametdin. His grandfather had already been staying on the territory since 1860s and was among the first Tatars in the country.

The Hamidulla family stayed at Terijoki (Zelenogorsk) until 1923, after which they moved to Oulu and then Kemi, where Hamidulla himself made a living as a merchant. Hamidulla lived in Turkey during 1926–1927, where he served his military service.

Back in Finland, Hamidulla was operating an electronics and radioshop in Kemi, which during the Continuation War also fixed the electric devices, batteries and outboard motors of both the Finnish and German armies. From 1950 forward, Hamidulla lived in Helsinki, where he continued shopkeeping with his shop Tehowatti, which was located at Pieni Roobertinkatu. He retired only a few years before his death in 1980s.

In addition to Tatar, Hamidulla spoke Arabic, Russian, Turkish, Finnish and Swedish. He started his publishing career with the 12-part magazine called Mägrifät (1925). It was eventually banned by local authorities however, due to them being unable to guard the material which was in foreign language.

Hamidulla did his wide publishing work from his own printing press. The books and pamphlets were mostly histories, memoirs, religious texts and prose text such as poetry and some plays. One of the more well known works of Hamidulla among the community is the history of his home village, Aktuk (Yañapar tārīhi, 1954), which has also been translated into Finnish. In 1943, Hamidulla did a 20 000 print facsimile of Arabic language Quran which was originally published in Kazan. It was then distributed to the Islamic prisoners of war in Finland and Germany. Hamidulla continued his active publishing work until late 1970s. His publications are mostly written in the old Arabic alphabet of Tatar language, but some also in the Latin script. It is known that Hamidulla also wrote in some Finnish magazines and as a young man, he had been a reporter in a Saint Petersburg based newspaper.

During his life, Hamidulla did a pilgrimage to Mecca twice. He was also a contributor among the local Tatar congregation.

Literary work

History, memoirs, biographies etc.

• Yañapar tarïhï : Aktukin kylän historia : 1667–1919 (Helsinki, 1954).
• Nik alay? Yazuçïnïn üz tärğümä-i ḥālendän 1-7. Finlandiyä möselmanlarïnïn tāriḫ materiallarï / Miksi niin? Kirjoittajan oma elämänkerrasta osat 1-7. Aineksia Suomen muslimien historiaan. (Helsinki 1962–1977).
• Ḥāğğ ḥāṭiräläre / Hac hatırelerı / Pyhänmaan muistoja 1-2 (Helsinki 1968–1971).
• Baṣïlmïyča qalganlar / Basılmıçe kalganlar ("Painamatta jääneitä").
• Ḥasan NiẓāmeddÄ«n ḤamÄ«dullāh äsärläre / teokset 1-5.
• Ä°sem könläre kalindarï / Isım könläre kalendarı / Musulmaanien nimipäiväkalenteri (Kemi 1948).
• Finlandiyä möselmānlarïnïñ telefon kataloġï / Telefon katalogı / Suomen musulmanien puhelinluettelo (1971-1972, 1974, 1977, 1980).
• Tellär tārÄ«hï / Teller tarıhı / Kielten yleistä historiaa. Hamidullan uusintapainos Kazanissa 1909 ilmestyneestä vihkosesta (Helsinki 1960).

Magazines

• Mä'rifät / Mägrifät ("Valistus") 1 - 12 (Kemi 1925)
• Å imāl očqonlarï / Å imāl ocqonlarï / Şimal oçkunları / Revontulet 1945 -1977. Kahdeksan numeroa, ensin Kemissä (1-2) ja sitten Helsingissä.

Stories

• YoldozlarÄ¡a säyāḥat / Yulduzlarga seyehat / Retki tähtiin (Kemi 1947).
• TäqdÄ«r qaršïnda. Berenče dönya á¹£uġïšï vāqï`alarïndan. / Tekdir karşında / Tuomion edessä. Kertomus ensimmäisen maalmansodan ajoilta (Helsinki 1950).
• Möhāğïr bäḥete (Mohacır behıtı / Pakolaisen onni (Helsinki 1953).

Poetry, plays, proverbs

• Ḥayrülnisā / Haırünnisa (Kemi 1943).
• Ä°lhām yimeÅ¡läre / Ilham yımışlerı / Lahjan hedelmät 1 - 9 (1925-1945) - ilmestyivät Helsingissä 1969-1970.
• TormoÅ¡ moñlarï. Å i'ir / Tormuş moñları. Șıyirlar ("Elämän murheet. Runoja") Helsinki 1973.
• Vaẓï'yät ečendä / Vaziyet içinde. Şiyırlar. ("Tilanteen mukaan. Runoja") Helsinki 1973.
• Yöräk ärnüläre. Å i'irlar / Yörek Ernülerı ("Sydän suruja") Helsinki 1980.
• Borongï kartlar süze / Burungı kartlar / babaylar süzı / Vanhoja sanaparsia. Helsinki 1951, 1977.
• Tatar halïq ğïrlarï häm moňlarï 1 / Tatar halik moňları 1 ("Tataarien kansan lauluja ja sävelmiä 1") Helsinki 1975.
• Özölgän ömid / Özülgen ömid / Katkennut unelma on 5-näytöksinen draama. Helsinki 1960.
• Behitsizlär ("Onnettomat") Helsinki 1973.
• Mökter babay ("Mökter pappa") Helsinki 1973.
• Qaraq / Karak ("Varas") Helsinki 1974.
• Aldïm birdem / Aldïm birdım ("Avioliittosopimus") Helsinki 1976.

Religious texts

• Kälām-i šärif: Qur'ān-i kärÄ«m / Kur'ani Kerim (Kemi 1943, toinen versio Helsinki 1969).
• TäfsÄ«r-i No'mānÄ« ("Nu'mānin kommentaari") Helsinki 1958.
• Yaña Ä«mān Å¡artï häm belemleklär / Yaña iman şartı hem blımkler / Uskonnon ehdot - Ä°sm-i e'aẓam / Ä°smü eazam ("Ylevin nimi") Helsinki 1955, 1968.
• Vaq sürälär häm do'ālar / Uak Süreler hem Doalar / Rukouksia. Ğom'a ḫoá¹­balarï 1 / Cuma hotbaları 1 / Perjantaisaarnoja (Helsinki 1973).
• Vä'azlar - ḫoá¹­balar. Ğom'a ḫoá¹­balarïnïñ dävāmï / Veazlar Hotbalar. Cuma hotbalarının 2 - 6 (Helsinki 1974).
• YāsÄ«n-i šärif / Yasın / 36:s Süre (Koran) ("YS", Koraanin 36. suura) Helsinki 1966.
• YāsÄ«n-i šärif / Yasın şerif (Helsinki 1975).
• Namaz ("Rukous") Helsinki 1973.
• Täübä do'āsï / Tevbe doası ("Katumusrukous") Helsinki 1975.
• Latinča döröst uqur öčön namāz süräläre / Latinča döröst ukïr öçön Namaz syreler (Ramazan ayï ḥörmätenä / "Ramazan kuun kunniaksi") Helsinki 1976.
• Täbärek. El-mülk süräse / Tebarek. Kor'an: Elmük sürese ("Surat al-mulk. Valtiuden suura") Helsinki 1978.

Sources

• Bedretdin, Kadriye: Hasan Hamidulla - Tataarikirjailijan elämä : nik alay?. Suomen Itämainen Seura, Helsinki 2021.
• Bedretdin, Kadriye: Tugan Tel - Kirjoituksia Suomen tataareista. Suomen Itämainen Seura, Helsinki 2011.
• Leitzinger, Antero: Mishäärit - Suomen vanha islamilainen yhteisö. Kirja-Leitzinger, Helsinki 1996.

Citations