Sayyiduna al-Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that he came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and greeted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with peace. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: "Where do you intend to go?" He said: "O Messenger of Allah! I intend to go in this direction," pointing with his hand towards Bayt al-Maqdis as he said it. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Why are you going there? Is it for trade?" The narrator says: I said: "No! Rather, I intend to pray there." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), pointing with his blessed hand towards Makkah, said: "One prayer offered here is better than a thousand prayers in that place." He said this while pointing with his blessed hand towards Syria (al-Sham).
Imam Ahmad recorded this.
Imam al-Tabarani recorded this in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, and he says: (that is, then comes the following narration).
Hadith Referenceمجمع الزوائد ومنبع الفوائد / كتاب الحج / 5862