The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "That I sit remembering Allah Most High, declaring His greatness, His oneness, and His glory from sunrise onward is more beloved to me than freeing four slaves from the descendants of Ismail. And that I remember Allah from the afternoon prayer until the sun sets is more beloved to me than freeing such and such number of slaves from the descendants of Ismail."
حدثنا سليمان بن حرب حدثنا حماد بن سلمة عن علي بن زيد عن أبي طالب الضبعي
قال رسول الله ﷺ لأن أذكر الله تعالى من طلوع الشمس أكبر وأهلل وأسبح أحب إلي من أن أعتق أربعا من ولد إسماعيل ولأن أذكر الله من صلاة العصر إلى أن تغيب الشمس أحب إلي من أن أعتق كذا وكذا من ولد إسماعيل
Its isnad is hasan, on account of Ali bin Zayd and Abu Talib Dubai, who narrates from Ibn Abbas and Abu Umama. Ibn Hibban deemed him reliable, and Bukhari said nothing about him. Haythami said in 10/104, Ahmad and Tabarani reported it, and its chains are hasan.