What is the ruling on visiting the Prophet's grave after 'Umrah and Hajj?

Question : The questioner says: Honorable Shaykh, I performed 'Umrah, but I was unable to go to the Prophet's Mosque (peace and blessings be upon him). Is there any blame on me for that? May Allah reward you with good.

Answer : Yes, there is no blame. It is permissible for a person to perform Hajj even if he does not go to al-Madinah. It is permissible to perform 'Umrah even if he does not go to al-Madinah. There is no connection between 'Umrah and visiting the Prophet's Mosque, nor between Hajj and visiting the Prophet's Mosque. The Prophet's Mosque has its own specific visit, and 'Umrah and Hajj are also specific travels. However, the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) mention the visit to al-Madinah in the book of Hajj because travel in those times was very difficult. It is difficult for a person to separate the visit into one trip and the 'Umrah into another. So they combine them, making the visit before or after Hajj so that the travel is one. This is good; it is a wise consideration so that the person is not exhausted and does not spend a lot of money. If you visit the Prophet's Mosque, what do you visit?
The mosque is where you pray as much as you wish, then you send peace upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and upon Abu Bakr and 'Umar, for they were in the same chamber. Glory be to Allah the Magnificent. O my brothers, may Allah gather them together in this world, just as the Messenger often said: May Allah gather them in this world and gather them after death, and they will come out of their graves on the Day of Resurrection from this place. Allahu Akbar. What a magnificent companionship! Now, after this, how many visits have we mentioned?
How many did the speaker mention? The Prophet's Mosque, the three graves. You visit al-Baqi', where the Companions are, and among them, leading them, is the Commander of the Faithful, 'Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), who is in al-Baqi'. You visit the grave of 'Uthman and the graves of the people of al-Baqi'. Fourth, the Mosque of the Grave. You purify yourself in your house and go out to it and pray in it as much as you wish; you are like one who has performed 'Umrah. Fifth, the visit to the martyrs of Uhud. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to go out to Uhud and visit the martyrs. Apart from that, there are no other visits in al-Madinah. So there are five places of visit that a person visits to draw near to Allah: to make du'a for the deceased regarding the visit to al-Baqi' and the martyrs, to pray in the Prophet's Mosque and the Mosque of Quba, and to stand at the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and the graves of his two companions, greeting the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his two companions, Abu Bakr and 'Umar. It is not obligatory.