عَنْ مُصْعَبِ بْنِ ثَابِتِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ قَالَ قَالَ عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عَفَّانَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ وَهُوَ يَخْطُبُ عَلَى مِنْبَرِهِ إِنِّي مُحَدِّثُكُمْ حَدِيثًا سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَا كَانَ يَمْنَعُنِي أَنْ أُحَدِّثَكُمْ إِلَّا الضِّنُّ عَلَيْكُمْ وَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ حَرَسُ لَيْلَةٍ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ أَلْفِ لَيْلَةٍ يُقَامُ لَيْلُهَا وَيُصَامُ نَهَارُهَا
Narrated from Sayyiduna Uthman bin Affan (may Allah be pleased with him), he was delivering a sermon on the pulpit when he said: I am going to narrate to you a hadith, I myself heard it from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Previously, the only thing that prevented me from narrating this hadith to you was your abundance. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Standing guard for one night in the way of Allah is better than standing in prayer for a thousand nights and fasting during their days.