Is Salat (Prayer) or Tawaf More Excellent?

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father and Muhammad ibn Isma‘il from af-Fadf ibn Shadhan from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hisham ibn al-Hakam who has said the following: “Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that for one who resides in Makkah for one year, Tawaf is more excellent than salat (prayer). One who resides in Makkah for two years should perform sometimes Tawaf and sometimes salat (prayer). For one who resides in Makkah for three years, performing salat (prayer) is more excellent than Tawaf.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Hariz ibn ‘Abd Allah who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that performing Tawaf is more excellent for those who do not reside in Makkah, and for those who reside in Makkah, performing salat (prayer) is more excellent.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

3. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from ibn Faddal from ibn al-Qaddah who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that performing Tawaf before al-Hajj is more excellent than seventy Tawaf after al-Hajj.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.