“Circumambulating the House (ṭawāf) is like prayer, except that you may speak during it; therefore, whoever speaks during it should speak only that which is good.”

Narrated by Aḥmad (no. 15423), al-Tirmidhī (no. 960, the wording is his), and al-Nasā’ī (no. 2922).
Aḥmad also reports: “Circumambulating is indeed prayer; so that when you perform ṭawāf, speak little,” from the ḥadīth of Ibn ʿAbbās (may Allah be pleased with them both).
Authenticated in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Jāmiʿ (no. 3955) and Irwā’ al-Ghalīl (no. 1102).

Brief Explanation of the Hadith

Circumambulation of the Kaʿbah is among the great acts of worship that Allah has singled out for His House, so that a servant may draw near to his Lord through it. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) likened ṭawāf to prayer in virtue and sacredness. He said, “Circumambulating the House is like prayer,” and in another narration,”Ṭawāf is indeed prayer,” meaning that it resembles prayer in observing proper etiquette, humility, and reverence for the act of worship, as well as in the requirements of purification and covering the private parts, according to the view of the majority of scholars.
The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) made an exception regarding speaking during ṭawāf, saying: “except that you may speak in it,” meaning that speech is permitted during ṭawāf, unlike in prayer. However, he qualified it by saying: “whoever speaks during it should speak only that which is good,” to emphasize that the primary focus during ṭawāf is remembrance and supplication, and that speech should be limited to necessity, avoiding idle or useless talk.
The ḥadīth guides the one performing ṭawāf to observe the etiquettes of worship: presence of heart, reverence for the sacred place, constant remembrance, and avoidance of that which diminishes reward or removes humility—so that his ṭawāf is closer to acceptance and greater in reward and merit.