Narrator:Ā’ishah
وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا: أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «قِرَاءَةُ الْقُرْآنِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ قِرَاءَةِ الْقُرْآنِ فِي غَيْرِ الصَّلَاةِ وَقِرَاءَةُ الْقُرْآنِ فِي غَيْرِ الصَّلَاةِ أَفْضَلُ مِنَ التَّسْبِيحِ وَالتَّكْبِيرِ وَالتَّسْبِيحُ أَفْضَلُ مِنَ الصَّدَقَةِ وَالصَّدَقَةُ أَفْضَلُ مِنَ الصَّوْمِ وَالصَّوْمُ جُنَّةٌ مِنَ النَّارِ» . رَوَاهُ الْبَيْهَقِيُّ فِي شُعَبِ الْإِيمَانِ
‘Ā’isha reported the Prophet as saying, “Reciting the Qur’ān during prayer is more excellent than reciting it at other times, and reciting the Qur’ān at a time other than during prayer is more excellent than extolling God and declaring His greatness. Extolling God is more excellent than sadaqa, sadaqa is more excellent than fasting, and fasting is a protection from hell.” Transmitted by Baihaqī in Shu'ab al-īmān.
Cited in Mishkat al-Masabih (No. 2166).