There are many various chains of narrations for this hadith all chains going back to Musa Ibn Hilal al-`Abdi (RadiyAllahu anhu) from `Ubayd ALLAH Ibn `Umar (RadiyAllahu anhu) who narrates: 
Ibn Hajar al-Haytami said in his commentary on Nawawi's Idah fi manasik al-hajj:
Ibn Khuzayma narrated it in his Sahih, Ibn al-Kharrat and Taqi al-Subki also declared it sound (sahih).
Ibn Khuzayma narrated it in his Sahih, Ibn al-Kharrat and Taqi al-Subki also declared it sound (sahih).
Although declaring the chain of this hadith imperfect (layyina), Dhahabi nevertheless said that they strengthened each other and declared the chain jayyid (good) as narrated, in Mizan al-i`tidal, (4:226): That is, the hadith is hasan (li gayrihi)
Al-hafiz Sakhawi confirmed him in the Maqasid al-hasana, while al-Subki declared it sahih in Shifa' al-siqam (p. 12-13) and Samhudi in Sa`adat al-darayn (1:77).
Allama Lucknawi in al-Ajwiba al-fadila (p. 155) said: "And this [declaring it authentic] until today is the custom of the people who have reached mastery of this science."
Authentication of chain of narrators:
Regarding Musa Ibn Hilal, Dhahabi in his Mizan (3:220) said: "Huwa salih al-hadith" which means: "He is good enough in his narrations." Ibn `Adi said in al-Kamil fi al-du`afa" (6:2350): "He
(Musa Ibn Hilal) is most likely acceptable;
Regarding Musa Ibn Hilal, Dhahabi in his Mizan (3:220) said: "Huwa salih al-hadith" which means: "He is good enough in his narrations." Ibn `Adi said in al-Kamil fi al-du`afa" (6:2350): "He
(Musa Ibn Hilal) is most likely acceptable;
other people have called him unknown (majhul) and this is not true... He is one of the shuyukh of Imam Ahmad and most of them are trustworthy."
Lucknawi said in al-Raf` wa al-takmil (p. 248-249): "Abu Hatim [al-Razi]'s saying whereby Musa Ibn Hilal is unknown is rejected, because it is established that those who are trustworthy narrated hadith from him."
Even Shaykh al Albani declared him thabit al-riwaya (of established reliability) in his Irwa' (4:338)
About `Ubayd ALLAH Ibn `Umar al-`Umari: Dhahabi calls him saduq hasan al-hadith(truthful, of fair narrations) in al-Mughni (1:348); Sakhawi says of him salih al-hadith (his narrations are good enough) in al-Tuhfa al-latifa (3:366); Ibn Ma`in said to Darimi about him:
salih thiqa (good enough and trustworthy) in al-Kamil (4:1459).
Al-Lucknawi also said about this hadith in his book Zafr al-amani (p.422): "There are some who declared it weak, and others who asserted that
Al-Lucknawi also said about this hadith in his book Zafr al-amani (p.422): "There are some who declared it weak, and others who asserted that
all the hadiths on visitation of the Prophet are forged, such as Ibn Taymiyya and his followers, but both positions are FALSE for those who were given right understanding, for verification of the case dictates that the hadith is atleast hasan or sahih
as Taqi al-Din al-Subki has expounded in his book Shifa' al-siqam fi ziyarat khayr al-anam."
The erudite student of the erudite Imam Ibn Hajar Asqalaani namely Imam Al-Hafiz Sakhawi said in al-Qawl al-badi` (p. 160):
The emphasis and encouragement on visiting his noble grave is mentioned in numerous hadiths, and it would suffice to show this if there was only
The emphasis and encouragement on visiting his noble grave is mentioned in numerous hadiths, and it would suffice to show this if there was only
the hadith whereby the truthful and God-confirmed Prophet ﷺ promises that his intercession among other things becomes obligatory for whoever visits him, and the Imams are in complete agreement from the time directly after his passing until
our own time that this [i.e. visiting him] is among the best acts of drawing near to ALLAH ﷻ.
It is not a surprise that the erudite scholar and Shaykh al Islam of his time recognized by all completely said in his "al adhkar muntakhib min kalaam al sayyid al abrar"
regarding the visitation to the prophets grave after Hajj:
regarding the visitation to the prophets grave after Hajj:
"fa inna ziyaarati ﷺ min ahhimul qurubaat wa arbah al masayeecwa afdalut talabaat"
Translation:
"verily the visit to the prophet alyhi salam is one of the best ways of drawing near …..and is the best talab or "search".
(p.263 fasl fi ziyaarat al qabr ul rasool ALLAH sAllahu alyhi wasallam wa adhkaarihi‘)
"verily the visit to the prophet alyhi salam is one of the best ways of drawing near …..and is the best talab or "search".
(p.263 fasl fi ziyaarat al qabr ul rasool ALLAH sAllahu alyhi wasallam wa adhkaarihi‘)
This act is also complimented with the Quranic Verse:
"O you who have believed, fear Allah and seek the means [of nearness] to Him and strive in His cause that you may succeed."
(Surah Al-Ma'idah verse 35)
"O you who have believed, fear Allah and seek the means [of nearness] to Him and strive in His cause that you may succeed."
(Surah Al-Ma'idah verse 35)
Ibn Hajar who indicated its grade of Hasan in Talkhisal-Habir (2:266) as it is strengthened by numerous other hadith which both he and al-Haythami mention in their works to mention one:
Narrated Abdullah Ibn Umar (RadiyAllahu anhu):
Allah's Messenger ﷺ said: "Whoever visits my grave after my death it is same as he has visited me in my life."
Allah's Messenger ﷺ said: "Whoever visits my grave after my death it is same as he has visited me in my life."
Narrated by al-Tabarani in al-Kabir (12:406), al-Daraqutni (2:278), and al-Bayhaqi, Sunan, (5:246#10054-10055) all through Hafs Ibn Abi Dawud al-Qari, Ahmad declared passable (sālih)
From these we can conclude, there is much reward and benefit for visiting the Beloved of Allah ﷻ blessed resting place and it is a act that is explictly mentioned in hadiths and endorsed by numerous Scholars and Muhadditheen as being a permissible and a rewardable act.
