What is the ruling on traveling for the purpose of praying over a deceased person?

Question:
He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, what is the ruling on traveling to pray over a deceased person, whether the deceased is a relative or a scholar? And if his travel is for both the funeral prayer and offering condolences, what is the ruling on that as well?

Answer:
There is no need to travel except in the case where the person is a relative of the deceased and is needed to help prepare the body for burial; in that case, he should travel to oversee the preparation of the body. However, if he is not needed for preparing the body or burying it, there is no need to travel, because this is an act of worship, and a person does not travel for the sake of an act of worship except where there is evidence regarding the three mosques, for praying in them and performing worship in them.