Which is better, tawaf or prayer?

Question: I ask your eminence to clarify the verse: [Surat al-Baqarah:125]. Is it better for a resident of Makkah to perform tawaf around the House or to pray? May Allah reward you.

Answer: Allah the Exalted commanded that His House be purified for those who perform tawaf, those who stay in it, and those who stand in it, who are the residents of this land. Purifying it means removing anything that has no good for the circumambulators and the residents, and anything that harms them, whether in actions, words, ritual impurity, filth, or otherwise. It is obligatory to purify His House for the circumambulators, the bowers, the standers, and the prostrators, so that the entire area around the House is purified, free from any harm to the one staying in it, the one performing tawaf, or the one praying. It must be kept free from anything that harms the worshippers, burdens them, or stands between them and the worship of their Lord (Exalted and Majestic is He).
As for preferring prayer over tawaf, or tawaf over prayer, this is a matter of consideration. A group of scholars have stated that for a non-resident, it is better to increase in tawaf, because he is not a resident, and he does not get the opportunity for tawaf except in Makkah.
As for the resident of Makkah, he is a resident who stays there, and prayer is better for him, because the category of prayer is better than the category of tawaf. So if he increases in prayer, it is better.
As for the non-resident who is not a resident, it is recommended for him to increase in tawaf, because he is not a resident; rather, he will depart, leave, and move away from Makkah. So taking advantage of tawaf is more appropriate, because he can perform prayer in any place. I mean all of this regarding voluntary acts, namely: voluntary tawaf and voluntary prayer.