has the grave as his intended destination, his journey is prohibited and falls within the Prophet’s saying:

“No journey is to be undertaken except to three mosques.”

They also state that a journey constituting obedience to Allah and a means of drawing near to Him is one undertaken for the purpose of praying in the mosque; and that if someone vows to travel to Medina for a purpose other than praying in the mosque, he is forbidden to fulfil his vow, because it is a vow involving disobedience. Since this position of theirs is well known in works both short and lengthy, how can anyone suppose that the leading scholars unanimously agree on travelling solely to visit graves?

Another group of scholars call this visiting his grave. They say, “It is recommended to visit his grave,” or, “to travel to visit his grave.” By visiting, they mean what the first group means: travelling to his mosque and performing there the prescribed acts of invoking blessings and peace upon him, supplicating for him, and praising him. This is what they call visiting his grave, although all agree that no one visits his grave in the manner familiar with other graves. Those graves are in the open and can be approached, and one can sit or stand beside them. It is possible to perform beside them both prescribed acts, such as supplicating for the deceased and seeking forgiveness for him, and prohibited acts, such as calling upon him, associating him with Allah in worship, wailing at his grave, and uttering laments. This is what is understood by “visiting graves.”

The Messenger was buried in his house, in his chamber, and he prohibited people from entering there and gaining access to his grave. Thus, no one can visit his grave as one visits another person’s grave, whether in a manner prescribed by the Sharia or an innovated manner. Rather, everyone can reach only