Translation by Rana Abdul
(Zaman Al Wasl)- On the window front of one of the Arabic shops in the area of Itakeskus in the Finish city of Helsinki, a cardboard sign faces passersby with the phrase “reductions for fasters” and next to it the phrase, “Happy Ramadan” in the country’s language with a figurative drawing of the moon.
The issue gives a positive impression of Syrian refugee practices of their rituals and traditions in Finland despite their small numbers and the long hours of fasting in the country north of Europe where the sun and moon almost meet.
Burhan Hamdoun, a Syrian expatriate living in the city of Helsinki for many years and who works as an executive manager for the international organization Hakunilan indicated to Zaman al-Wasl, “Syrian refuge in Finland was limited in comparison to other European countries given the country is far away, unknown as other European countries, has limited job opportunities other than its difficult climate.”
The first thing Syrian refugees face in Finland during the month of Ramadan, as Hamdoun confirms, is the problem of time, as the sun sets at around 11 pm at night for the hours of fast to reach 21 hours which poses a suffering for those who are no accustomed to fasting all those hours. According to our speaker, Syrian refugees have found ways of adapting with the issue such as following the schedules of Islamic Middle Eastern countries or the schedule of the closest Muslim country.
Some refugees, as he said, are forced to fast according to Mecca time, others according to Turkey, and some of them take a middle line, whereas others insist on fasting according to Finish time.
With the start of the month of Ramadan, Arabic stores in Finland become filled with various kinds of eastern foods, juices, and dates, and our speaker highlighted that Syrian refugees in Finland come to these stores to buy goods for Ramadan and in an attempt to create a Ramadan atmosphere special to them, even if it is very far from what they were used to in the countries.
Our speaker clarified, “some young men, especially the unmarried among them resort to hosting group Iftars by turn, whereas others lean towards attending Iftars in mosques which are funded mainly by Turkish businessmen.”
Our speaker indicated that for Syrian refugees present in the temporary camps have specific times for presenting food, and after that the kitchens shut which forces them to keep the food until Iftar time, and some refugee centers are more flexible towards so they delay presenting lunch until Iftar time.
Regarding Finish people’s stance from the refugees’ fasting our speaker confirmed, “some Finish are sensitive about the issue, but on the other hand there are many who are sympathetic with Muslims generally, and with their religious traditions and of them fasting.” Hamdoun, who has been living in Finland for over 25 years, indicated that some of his neighbors ask him what Muslims do in Ramadan and they try to understand the secrets of this worship. There is now for Finish people an awareness, interest, and coexistence with refugees given that Muslims in Finland are no longer a minority as before and their percentage is higher than the percentage of Russian Orthodox in the country.
A survey recently conducted in a refugee reception center in Finland showed that a third or more of the Syrian refugees hold university degrees, and 10 % of then are willing to enter the labor market after overcoming the language obstacle.
(Zaman Al Wasl)- On the window front of one of the Arabic shops in the area of Itakeskus in the Finish city of Helsinki, a cardboard sign faces passersby with the phrase “reductions for fasters” and next to it the phrase, “Happy Ramadan” in the country’s language with a figurative drawing of the moon.
The issue gives a positive impression of Syrian refugee practices of their rituals and traditions in Finland despite their small numbers and the long hours of fasting in the country north of Europe where the sun and moon almost meet.
Burhan Hamdoun, a Syrian expatriate living in the city of Helsinki for many years and who works as an executive manager for the international organization Hakunilan indicated to Zaman al-Wasl, “Syrian refuge in Finland was limited in comparison to other European countries given the country is far away, unknown as other European countries, has limited job opportunities other than its difficult climate.”
The first thing Syrian refugees face in Finland during the month of Ramadan, as Hamdoun confirms, is the problem of time, as the sun sets at around 11 pm at night for the hours of fast to reach 21 hours which poses a suffering for those who are no accustomed to fasting all those hours. According to our speaker, Syrian refugees have found ways of adapting with the issue such as following the schedules of Islamic Middle Eastern countries or the schedule of the closest Muslim country.
Some refugees, as he said, are forced to fast according to Mecca time, others according to Turkey, and some of them take a middle line, whereas others insist on fasting according to Finish time.
With the start of the month of Ramadan, Arabic stores in Finland become filled with various kinds of eastern foods, juices, and dates, and our speaker highlighted that Syrian refugees in Finland come to these stores to buy goods for Ramadan and in an attempt to create a Ramadan atmosphere special to them, even if it is very far from what they were used to in the countries.
Our speaker clarified, “some young men, especially the unmarried among them resort to hosting group Iftars by turn, whereas others lean towards attending Iftars in mosques which are funded mainly by Turkish businessmen.”
Our speaker indicated that for Syrian refugees present in the temporary camps have specific times for presenting food, and after that the kitchens shut which forces them to keep the food until Iftar time, and some refugee centers are more flexible towards so they delay presenting lunch until Iftar time.
Regarding Finish people’s stance from the refugees’ fasting our speaker confirmed, “some Finish are sensitive about the issue, but on the other hand there are many who are sympathetic with Muslims generally, and with their religious traditions and of them fasting.” Hamdoun, who has been living in Finland for over 25 years, indicated that some of his neighbors ask him what Muslims do in Ramadan and they try to understand the secrets of this worship. There is now for Finish people an awareness, interest, and coexistence with refugees given that Muslims in Finland are no longer a minority as before and their percentage is higher than the percentage of Russian Orthodox in the country.
A survey recently conducted in a refugee reception center in Finland showed that a third or more of the Syrian refugees hold university degrees, and 10 % of then are willing to enter the labor market after overcoming the language obstacle.
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