What does malayani (futile things) mean? Are our deeds related just to the world and not to the Hereafter futile?

Malayani is the useless deeds and futile conversations, which are done for no particular reason at all and in order to kill time and to appear busy.

The most common definition of malayani is Deeds, chatters and ideas which benefit neither the world nor the Hereafter. From this definition, we can benefit as long as we live in this world; it advises us to spend our lives in areas beneficial either for this world or for the Hereafter. Actually, in Islam, these two areas are not separated from one another; because a believer who works in the legitimate circle and on the right path is still performing worship and sending valuable things to his Hereafter even when he is busy with worldly affairs.

Only, when we migrate to the Hereafter, we will understand futile things a little bit different. We will then say everything which does not benefit the eternal world and whose fruits are only in the world is futile.

It is stated in the Risale-i Nur Collection that the world has three faces. One of them is the aspect of being a mirror to the Divine names; another is its being a field to cultivate for the Hereafter; and the third is its aspect of pleasures and delights, games and entertainment. So, every deed, activity, and chatter that does not fall into the first two groups is futile.

However, when the hereafter is mentioned, both paradise and the hell must be thought together. If a deed not only serves as no means to the paradise but also leads man to the hell, we cannot put it into the group of futility. Such a deed is not futile; but is full of grief and punishment.

Futile deeds are fruitless deeds, which do not benefit the Hereafter; but at the same time are not seen as sin or haram-religiously forbidden.