In literature, Khalaf utilized historical events in many of his novels;[5] The Slaughter of the Philosophers, which was nominated for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction, have the Roman conquest of Palmyra and the life of queen Zenobia in Rome as a background for the protagonist but the novel focuses more on the philosophical life of Palmyra rather than the political history.[6][7] As of 2017, Khalf resides in Dubai.[7]