عَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى قَاصٍّ يَقُصُّ فَأَمْسَكَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ قُصَّ فَلَانْ أَقْعُدَ غُدْوَةً إِلَى أَنْ تُشْرِقَ الشَّمْسُ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ أَنْ أُعْتِقَ أَرْبَعَ رِقَابٍ وَبَعْدَ الْعَصْرِ حَتَّى تَغْرُبَ الشَّمْسُ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ أَنْ أُعْتِقَ أَرْبَعَ رِقَابٍ
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) passed by a storyteller who was narrating stories, but when he saw the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), he stopped. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Continue storytelling. If I sit in such a gathering from the Fajr prayer until sunrise, it is more beloved to me than freeing four necks (slaves). If I sit from Asr until sunset, this deed is also more beloved to me than freeing four slaves.