Khalil Shafiq

Once upon a time there was an Islamic Caliphate in Europe where Muslims, Christians, Jews lived in relative peace. Truth or a fable?
And as it is truth, what should we learn about Al-Andalus?

The Legacy of Al-Andalus: An Urgent Lesson for Europe After the Elections Two years ago, I wrote about the fascinating history of Al-Andalus and the legacy it should have left in modern-day European societies. Back almost a millennium ago, we had a place where Muslims, C…

Ready for something that might be typical of my writing, yet it is something that each and everyone of us should read.

Breaking News: Crisis in Gaza – Humanity’s Defining Moment? The citizens of the world watch in horror whilst the major governments stay suspiciously silent, or rooting for the Israeli ever-present “right to defend themselves” mantra, as allegati…

Good morning, everyone! It is Sunday, and you know what that means: A NEW BLOG POST! 🥳

This time, it's all about going back to the roots, and realising that it's been just about two years of writing!

From Carrie Bradshaw to Khalil Shafiq: Embracing My Inner Word Nerd Hey there, my wonderful word wanderers! Back in the summer of 2022, my wifey and I found ourselves cozied up on the couch, indulging in a marathon of S*x and the City. We’d devoured most of t…

Just to brighten your day, where ever you are, here is a short video of a handsome doggo boy enjoying his ice cream in Sweden.

First ice-cream in 2024 for a Good Boy! #dog #travel Mika, our poodle boy enjoying his fist ice-cream of 2024 during a road trip from Spain to Finland. NOM!

Can you remember when you were young, and fell for someone else for the first time... here is my story.

The Boy with the Laughing Eyes: A Love Unspoken in ’92, Echoed in Green Day Daily writing promptWrite about your first crush.View all responses He had a short-ish buzz cut for the whole of high school, dark brown hair that never grew so long that it would start to curl. I …

So, havestories.com has been officially repainted and I am still in the process of reinstalling all the old blog texts. It will still take a while 😮‍💨

MEANWHILE, you can take a look at the newest text that commemorates the revamp of the whole site!



http://havestories.com/2024/06/16/travelling-thoughts-2-0-a-new-chapter-begins/

Travelling Thoughts 2.0: A New Chapter Hello, lovely readers, both familiar and new! It’s me, Khalil, your friendly neighbourhood blogger, back with a fresh coat of paint on Travelling Thoughts. You can’t imagine what it was…

Guess what! 🤩

Havestories.com is back online - WITH A NEW POST and new lick of paint! 🥳

Take a look! 🧐

Travelling Thoughts... Stories, travels, and everything else

Dear all, don't worry!
Havestories.com hasn't vanished 😶‍🌫️, it is undergoing a makeover and will be back, newer and better very soon! 🤩

Meanwhile, you could tell me what is it about travelling that excites you? 🤔

Do you know that feeling when you just want to pack your bag and go travel?

Wanderlust Ever since I was young, since my early twenties, I have had the feeling that I need to find something more. Throughout the years, I have finally realised the feeling has a name: wanderlust.

"Peace be with you."
But does that include the people too, or are religions like secret societies - not for everyone?

And should we, LGBTQ people even believe?

Religion 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ “So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them.” (Genesis 1:27) That is one of the most profound messages in the Bible that there is. But is the message for…

❗️Trigger warning. You will not like this post, which is exactly why you need to read it.

Shame On Us All Has humanity failed? When we watch news about genocide waged by Israel in Gaza, it seems to clearly show that. The West has failed with their so-called enlightened values, and the Muslim world has …

It's Month, and pride is about the people.

People 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ During this year’s Pride Month I want to try to explain what PRIDE means for me. Whilst researching for this blog text, I noticed that there are so many different meanings for PRIDE, but many…

Happy Month, everyone! Celebrate, be who you are, but remember why Pride started.

Take Pride? 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ Welcome, June! The month of Juno, goddess of childbirth and fertility. The month that has Midsummer in the Northern hemisphere and Midwinter in the Southern hemisphere. But it is also the month tha…

Controversial and complicated topic, I know.
But is it really, or are we just made to believe that the topic is complicated - because it would mean we need to say "no"?

Palestine ≠ Israel, or…? With the possible exception of small indigenous tribes in small islands or in the middle of a jungle, most of the globe is aware of the war in the Palestine-Israel region of the Middle East. We hav…

We live in a time when all we need is unity, and harmonies. But is it just these things, the Ghosts of Eurovisions Past that herald the demise of the competition?

The Ghosts Of Eurovisions Past One of the staples of Eurovision Song Contest, for me, has been the jury votes. Yes, the very ones that are currently criticized for making Sweden win and Finland lose. For me, however, that is par…

Have you ever wanted to assist your favourite creator, but are not sure what is the best way? Become a monthly supporter through Patreon, perhaps?
Or maybe not!

Buy me a coffee, that is the way to go! Sure, you can make sure that there is a steady flow of coffee for me, but you can also just offer me a cup, or two! Thanks for your support, it means a world to me! ❤️

Khalil Shafiq is Blogger, Writer, and a Podcast newbie There once was a story of a poor nurse, who only wanted to write a book, and blog about things... It's not a story - it's me! 😀 But because I am Finnish, I need coffee. Lots of it! So, please buy me a

In life, we live to face the inevitable.

Life, and Death Death comes to us all, and like I have mentioned before, it is one certainty in the universe. But did it have to happen just now?! Innā lillāhi wa innā ilaihi rāji’ūn. Verily, we belong to Allah, a…

Blogging 💻 is great fun, but so are podcasts 🎙 and YouTube 📹 channels!

Check out the very first episode of Have Stories podcast of Spotify, and don't forget to LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE:

Have Stories Listen to Have Stories on Spotify. What's up, story lovers! I'm Khalil and on this podcast we're all about having stories – the kind you get lost in, the kind that make you think, and the kind that take you on adventures (even if it's from your couch!). So, buckle up for short stories, travel talk...

Did someone just say "Ramadan mubarak" to you? Did your colleague refuse your lunch invitation?

What is this? Find out answers in my new blog ➡️

Beyond No Food: Ramadan at Work Have you ever noticed a colleague with increased focus and a slight pep in their step during a specific month? It could be Ramadan, a holy month for Muslims observed through fasting, prayer, and re…

Ramadan, the Muslim fasting month is here in one or two days.
Is it all about not eating or drinking?

Ramadan – What Is It? Last year, I decided to do a picture challenge for Ramadan – the Holy Month. But for this year, I wanted to do something different, something for you, as a non-Muslim or a recent revert, to g…

It is even said on the UN Charter of Human Rights - everyone has right to security of person.
Is it because of this violation that a whole community can feel the blow?

Feeling Safe One year ago, almost to a day, several of my colleagues got the sack as redundancy negotiations at the workplace came to a conclusion. That sent ripples across the whole work community as the team …

A year ago I wrote about an important issue - loneliness.
Ramadan is soon upon us, and, again, many people face having to break their fast alone. It is up to us to make this Ramadan better for everyone.

A Dinner For One? Just a few days ago, I saw an advert in TikTok (of all places) about a man eating his iftar meal (the meal to break your fast with) by himself. The whole advert, in my mind, started like any food a…

Still awake at this time? Maybe it is because of coffee ☕️?

https://havestories.com/2023/03/30/coffee-time-or-not/

Life is a journey - and that is why "Kalle Blogs" -page has been renamed, or rebranded, as Khalil Shafiq.

Why? 🤔

Khalil Shafiq, as you might have noticed, is being used when I blog. It is my writer alter ego, and something that I have used in X (twitter) for a longer time now, too.

Because of that, the change needed to be done here in Facebook too.

🥳

Take a moment to enjoy the original Malay language song by Dijana Stena!

The title of the song, "Lelayalang" means a kite.

Don't forget to drop a comment and like this very talented and fabulous musician, who can sing in Serbian, Italian, and Malay!

Dijana Stena - Lelayang (Official Video) Salam sahabatku! 💖 Akhirnya, single original pertama dalam Bahasa Melayu - "Lelayang". Terima kasih banyak-banyak kawan2 atas sokongan anda. You are preciou...

Will politics bring the Eurovision Song Contest to its knees? Or are politics just "complicated"?

Non-Political Competition Since the late 1980s, I have been interested in the Eurovision Song Contest, and I have watched it yearly, missing only one. Drama, as well as the glitz and glamour, and camp have been part of the …

It's 2024 and time to blog again. Maybe I wouldn't have yet my come back, but I had to stop for a moment and ponder on things.

Facing Mortality It is 2024, and I have not been exactly active on my site. Had it not been my close relative’s sudden illness, I still might be in hiatus.

So, the Fall Back happened last night.

For me, it was definitely a blessing as I was able to finish the first draft of "Buried Hearts" - a story set in ancient Pompeii. That's 60 pages of tears, sweat, and blood from my heart.

Next task is to write the first draft of "Habibi", a story set in 1492 and the twilight of Al-Andalus. during 2023. 💪🏼

Sic Gloria Transit Mundi - Thus Passes The Glory Of The World.

111 years after a fateful collision with an iceberg, Titanic claims five more souls. Should we be reminded about the important things in life because of this tragedy?

Sic Gloria Transit Mundi For the past days, the tragic submersible accident that happened by the Titanic’s resting place has captured the world’s media. Even after 111 years, it claimed five more souls. Now tha…