Hasan Hamidulla


Hasan Hamidulla 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 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 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. 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, 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.
  • 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..
  • Ḥāğğ ḥāṭiräläre / Hac hatırelerı / Pyhänmaan muistoja 1-2.
  • Baṣïlmïyča qalganlar / Basılmıçe kalganlar.
  • Ḥasan Niẓāmeddīn Ḥamīdullāh äsärläre / teokset 1-5.
  • İsem könläre kalindarï / Isım könläre kalendarı / Musulmaanien nimipäiväkalenteri.
  • Finlandiyä möselmānlarïnïñ telefon kataloġï / Telefon katalogı / Suomen musulmanien puhelinluettelo.
  • Tellär tārīhï / Teller tarıhı / Kielten yleistä historiaa.'' Hamidullan uusintapainos Kazanissa 1909 ilmestyneestä vihkosesta.

    Magazines

  • Mä'rifät / Mägrifät 1 - 12
  • Šimāl očqonlarï / Šimāl ocqonlarï / Şimal oçkunları / Revontulet 1945 -1977. Kahdeksan numeroa, ensin Kemissä ja sitten Helsingissä.

    Stories

  • Yoldozlarġa ''säyāḥat / Yulduzlarga seyehat / Retki tähtiin.
  • Täqdīr qaršïnda. Berenče dönya ṣuġïšï vāqï`alarïndan. / Tekdir karşında / Tuomion edessä. Kertomus ensimmäisen maalmansodan ajoilta.
  • Möhāğïr bäḥete.
Poetry, plays, proverbs
  • Ḥayrülnisā / Haırünnisa.
  • İlhām yimešläre / Ilham yımışlerı / Lahjan hedelmät 1 - 9 ''- ilmestyivät Helsingissä 1969-1970.
  • Tormoš moñlarï. Ši'ir / Tormuş moñları. Șıyirlar Helsinki 1973.
  • Vaẓï'yät ečendä / Vaziyet içinde. Şiyırlar. Helsinki 1973.
  • Yöräk ärnüläre. Ši'irlar / Yörek Ernülerı Helsinki 1980.
  • Borongï kartlar süze / Burungı kartlar / babaylar süzı / Vanhoja sanaparsia. Helsinki 1951, 1977.
  • Tatar halïq ğïrlarï häm moňlarï 1 / Tatar halik moňları 1 Helsinki 1975.
  • Özölgän ömid / Özülgen ömid / Katkennut unelma on 5-näytöksinen draama. Helsinki 1960.
  • Behitsizlär Helsinki 1973.
  • Mökter babay Helsinki 1973.
  • Qaraq / Karak Helsinki 1974.
  • Aldïm birdem / Aldïm birdım '' Helsinki 1976.

    Religious texts

  • Kälām-i šärif: Qur'ān-i kärīm / Kur'ani Kerim.
  • Täfsīr-i No'mānī Helsinki 1958.
  • Yaña īmān šartï häm belemleklär / Yaña iman şartı hem blımkler / Uskonnon ehdot - İsm-i e'aẓam / İsmü eazam Helsinki 1955, 1968.
  • Vaq sürälär häm do'ālar / Uak Süreler hem Doalar / Rukouksia. Ğom'a ḫoṭbalarï 1 / Cuma hotbaları 1 / Perjantaisaarnoja.
  • Vä'azlar - ḫoṭbalar. Ğom'a ḫoṭbalarïnïñ dävāmï / Veazlar Hotbalar. Cuma hotbalarının 2 - 6.
  • Yāsīn-i šärif / Yasın / 36:s Süre Helsinki 1966.
  • Yāsīn-i šärif / Yasın şerif.
  • Namaz Helsinki 1973.
  • Täübä do'āsï / Tevbe doası Helsinki 1975.
  • Latinča döröst uqur öčön namāz süräläre / Latinča döröst ukïr öçön Namaz syreler Helsinki 1976.
  • Täbärek. El-mülk süräse / Tebarek. Kor'an: Elmük sürese Helsinki 1978.