HajjiHasan 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.
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.[1]
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.[1]
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.[1]
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.[1][5]
Grave of Hamidulla and his family members in Helsinki.
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).
