As for “visiting him,” it is not obligatory, by the agreement of the Muslims. Indeed, neither the Quran nor the Sunnah contains a command to do so. Rather, what the Quran and Sunnah command is to invoke blessings and peace upon him. May Allah bless him, his family and his Companions, and grant them abundant peace.

The principal evidence upon which scholars have relied concerning “visitation” is his saying in the hadith narrated by Abū Dāwūd:

“No Muslim greets me with peace without Allah restoring my soul to me so that I may return his greeting.”

Mālik and others disapproved of saying, “I visited the grave of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.” The Companions, such as Ibn ʿUmar, Anas and others, would greet him—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and his two companions with peace. Thus, al-Muwattaʾ records that whenever Ibn ʿUmar entered the mosque, he would say: “Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah. Peace be upon you, O Abū Bakr. Peace be upon you, my father.”

Travelling to his mosque is prescribed, by the agreement of the Muslims, as stated in his saying recorded in the two Sahīh collections:

“No journey should be undertaken except to three mosques: the Sacred Mosque, al-Aqsā Mosque and this mosque of mine.”

The two Sahīh collections also record that he said:

“One prayer in this mosque of mine is better than a thousand prayers in any other mosque, except the Sacred Mosque.”

When someone comes to the Prophet’s mosque, he greets him—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and his two companions with peace, as the Companions used to do. But if his purpose in travelling is to visit the Prophet’s grave rather than to pray in his mosque, then this is a matter of scholarly disagreement. The position held by the imams and most scholars is that this is not