The rulings related to visiting and performing prayer in Al-Masjid An-Nabawi are unknown to a lot of people, and many of them, during their stay in Madeenah, fall into some violations of the Sharee‘ah. For this reason, this treatise is concerned with a clarification of those rulings and a warning against these violations according to what is authentically narrated through the Prophet and his Companions in an orderly presentation and in a simple manner that can be easily understood.
The Rulings are as Follows:
1) It is permissible to travel to perform prayer in the Prophet's mosque at any time, as it is proven in an authentic Hadeeth on the authority of Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet said: "Performing a single prayer in this mosque of mine is better than performing a thousand prayers in any other mosque, except in Al-Masjid Al-Haraam (the Grand Mosque in Makkah)." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
2) Traveling in order to perform prayer in the mosque of the Prophet is not in any way connected to the performance of Hajj rituals. Henceforth, it is not an act of Sunnah in Hajj or an act of perfecting the rituals of Hajj to visit it before or after Hajj.
3) When a Muslim arrives at Al-Masjid An-Nabawi, it is recommended for him to do the same that is to do whenever he enters any other mosque, that is, to enter the mosque with his right foot, and say, "Bismillaah; was-Salaatu was-Salaamu ‘ala Rasoolillaah. Allahumma iftah lee abwaaba rahmatik (In the Name of Allah; may Allah send blessings and peace upon the Messenger of Allah . O Allah, open the gates of Your Mercy before me)” and, “A‘oothu billaahi Al-‘Atheem wa biwajhihi Al-kareem wa bisultaanihi Al-qadeem min ash-shaytaan Ar-rajeem (I seek refuge with Allah, the Most Great, and with His Bounteous Countenance and Eternal Power from Satan, the expelled (from the Mercy of Allah).”
4) Then, one should pray the two Rak‘ahs (units) of Tahiyyatul Masjid (greeting the Mosque).
5) After praying, it is recommended for one to go to the grave of the Prophet and the graves of his two Companions, Abu Bakr and ‘Umar and greet them, saying, "Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah, and the mercy and blessings of Allah; peace be upon you O Abu Bakr; peace be upon you O ‘Umar." Then, one should leave and not wait there, as Ibn ‘Umar and his father used to do whenever he returned from a journey. If one is to say additional supplications for them then that it is also permissible, Allah willing.
6) It is recommended for the person who lives in Madeenah to perform Wudhoo’ (ritual ablution) his home and then go to the mosque of Qubaa‘ and pray two Rak‘ahs there, as the Prophet said: “Whoever performs Wudhoo‘ in his home and then goes to the mosque of Qubaa‘ and prays two Rak‘ahs there, (the reward of) that would be like the reward of (performing) ‘Umrah.” [Saheeh] [Ahmad, An-Nasaa’i and others]
7) It is also recommended visit the graveyard of Al-Baqee‘ and the graves of the martyrs of Uhud, for the Prophet would visit their graves and supplicate for them. Moreover, the Prophet said: “I had previously forbidden you from visiting graves, but you may now visit them.” [Muslim]
The Prophet taught his Companions whenever they visited the graves, to say: "Peace be upon you, inhabitants of abodes, from among the believers and Muslims; and Allah willing we shall join you. We ask Allah to grant you and us wellbeing.” [Muslim]
8) It should be known that building domes or mosques over graves and burying the dead in mosques are among the gravest unlawful acts against which the Prophet strictly warned us in many texts, of which mention may be made of the following:
a) It is narrated on the authority of ‘Aa’ishah that she said, “The Messenger of Allah said during the illness after which he died: ‘May Allah curse the Jews and Christians for they have taken the graves of their Prophets as places of worship.’” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
b) It is also narrated on the authority of ‘Aa’ishah that she said, “Umm Salamah and Umm Habeebah made mention to the Messenger of Allah of a church they had seen in Abyssinia in which there were images. The Messenger of Allah commented: ‘When a righteous man died among these people (of Abyssinia) they would build a place of worship on his grave and put these images in it. They will be the worst creatures in the sight of Allah on the Day of Judgment.’” [Muslim]
c) It is narrated on the authority of Jaabir that he said, “The Messenger of Allah forbade graves from being plastered, or being sat on or to being built over.” [Muslim]
d) It is narrated on the authority of Abu Marthad that he said, “The Messenger of Allah said: ‘Do not Sit over the graves, nor pray facing them.’” [Muslim]
As for the grave of the Prophet being in a mosque, it is well-known that the Prophet was not buried in the mosque, but rather in the chamber of ‘Aa’ishah which was outside the mosque. It remained as such until the age of the Companions in Madeenah ended. Then, during the reign of Al-Waleed ibn `Abdul Malik the area of the mosque was expanded to include the chamber. [Majmoo‘ Fataawa Ibn Taymiyyah] The direction of the grave of the Prophet should have been excluded from the enlargement and only the other three directions should have been expanded so that the grave would have remained outside the area of the mosque, just as ‘Umar and ‘Uthmaan did when they enlarged it.
Errors and Warnings:
1) A lot of people travel to Madeenah with the intention of visiting the grave of the Prophet and this is impermissible. What is permissible is that a Muslim should intend, by his journey to perform prayer in Al-Masjid An-Nabawi, as the Prophet said: “Do not set out on a journey except to three mosques: Al-Masjid Al-Haraam, this Masjid of mine, and Al-Aqsa mosque.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
2) Visiting the grave of the Prophet and the graves of his two Companions (Abu Bakr and ‘Umar) as well as the graveyard of Al-Baqee‘ and any other graves is specific to men and impermissible for women, because it is not fitting for women to visit the graves, in view of the statement of the Prophet : “May Allah Curse the women who frequently visit graves.” [Ahmad, At-Tirmithi and Ibn Maajah] [Saheeh]
3) It is impermissible for anyone to rub against the pulpit of the Mosque or the chamber in which the grave of the Prophet and the graves of his Companions (Abu Bakr and ‘Umar) lie, or to kiss them, or to circumambulate around them, for all of these acts are disapproved religious innovations.
4) It is impermissible for anyone to ask the Messenger or any other dead person to fulfill a need for him, to relieve him of difficulty, to heal a sick person, to intercede for him in the Hereafter, or the like, for all of this should be sought only from Allah The Almighty, and to demand it from the dead is to ascribe partners to Allah The Almighty.
5) Among the religious innovations done by some visitors is to raise their voices at the grave of the Prophet prolong their standing there, seek blessings next to his grave, face the grave with their hands raised in supplication, to face the grave from afar and move their lips with salutations or supplications, or to visit the Prophetic grave after every (obligatory) prayer, or whenever they go in or out of the mosque: all of this is in opposition to the acts adopted by the righteous predecessors, from among the Companions of the Prophet and those who followed them with good conduct. Moreover, they are religious innovations.
6) We have previously clarified what is specified by the Sharee’ah for the visitors of Madeenah to visit, and to visit anything else for religious purposes is not specified by Sharee’ah, such as the ‘Seven Mosques’, the mosque of the two Qiblahs (Al-Qiblatayn), and so on. A mention also should be made of going in the company of the so called guides who dictate them supplications.