I, along with many other students at Helsingin Kielilukio, have a profound commitment to our religious practices. Our faith is vital to our identities, providing solace and strength amidst the hustles of life. There is an undeniable beauty and contentment in standing in prayer before our Lord, knowing that we are heard, seen, and understood. 

Practicing our faith through the daily prayers helps us establish a deeper connection with ourselves and our beliefs. However, the current school rules at Helsingin Kielilukio, set by the city of Helsinki, forbid the students the option to take brief 5-10-minute breaks to step out for prayer during classes. Allowing these short pauses for our religious practices would not only cater to our spiritual needs but also enable us to return with renewed focus on our academic pursuits.

We understand the importance of maintaining class schedules, which is why we request these prayer breaks only during the shorter daylight months, from the start of November till the end of January, when the days are at their shortest. In these months, prayer times are condensed into the few hours of available daylight, making these brief breaks essential. Outside of these winter months, such breaks would not be necessary, as we would be capable of praying the prayers during the official breaks or at home.

The law of Finland states the following in chapter 1 "Valtiojärjestyksen perusteet" clause 11:

"Uskonnon ja omantunnon vapaus

Jokaisella on uskonnon ja omantunnon vapaus.

Uskonnon ja omantunnon vapauteen sisältyy oikeus tunnustaa ja harjoittaa uskontoa, oikeus ilmaista vakaumus ja oikeus kuulua tai olla kuulumatta uskonnolliseen yhdyskuntaan. Kukaan ei ole velvollinen osallistumaan omantuntonsa vastaisesti uskonnon harjoittamiseen."

=

"Freedom of religion and conscience

Everyone has the freedom of religion and conscience.

The freedom of religion and conscience includes the right to recognize and practice a religion, the right to express one's convictions, and the right to belong to or not belong to a religious community. No one is obligated to participate in the practice of religion against their conscience." 

According to the stated law, we as Finnish citizens, have the right to practice our religion and prayer is a fundamental key element of being a Muslim as stated in the following authentic hadith: “Verily, between a man and idolatry and unbelief is abandoning the prayer” (Sahih Muslim 82).

Upholding this right is essential for promoting cultural diversity and inclusivity. We are not seeking an undue privilege; rather, we kindly ask for the opportunity to engage in a simple, personally meaningful practice without interfering with our academic focus.

Honoring our request for 5-10 minute prayer breaks during specific times of the day would be a significant step towards making Helsingin Kielilukio a model of diversity and inclusivity. This small window of time would symbolize the school's recognition and respect of our cultural and religious differences. It would revalidate our faith in the educational institution's commitment to nurturing a multi-faith, multicultural student body.

Please join us in fostering a respectful and inclusive environment, supporting the request for daily prayer breaks during winter time at Helsingin Kielilukio. Sign the petition to support our cause.