Non-Obligatory Prayers or Tawaf?
Question :
Which is better, Tawaf around the Ka'bah or prayer?
Answer:
There is no doubt that prayer is an act of worship and a means of drawing closer to Allah and one of the best means of doing so and likewise, Tawaf around the Sacred House, because it is a prayer and form of supplication in which there is great merit.
The most authoritative view is that whoever arrives in Makkah - other than one of its inhabitants - and is planning to leave after a short time, Tawaf is actually better for him than an open non-obligatory prayer, because it is not easy for him to make Tawaf at any time. However, he should not leave the prayer; rather, he should perform the regular Sunan and the two Rak'ahs of Tawaf and any other prayers which it is easy for him to perform. As for the permanent resident in Makkah, the supererogatory prayers are better for him in fact, but he should not leave the performance of Tawaf around the House simply because he is able to do so whenever he wishes.
Source:
Ibn Jibreen
Fatawa Islamiyah, Vol. 2 Pages 322-323
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