“Whoever visits me in Madinah with the intention of seeking reward, I will be his intercessor...”

Question:
A questioner asks about the authenticity of the hadith: ?

Answer:
This hadith was narrated by Ibn Abi al-Dunya through the chain of Anas ibn Malik from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with this wording, and in its chain is Sulayman ibn Zayd al-Ku'bi, who is weak in hadith. It was also narrated by Abu Dawud al-Tiyalisi through the chain of 'Umar, and in its chain is an unknown narrator. However, authentic hadiths have been transmitted encouraging the visiting of graves in general, for the sake of taking a lesson, drawing a warning, and making du'a for the deceased.
As for the hadiths transmitted specifically regarding the visiting of the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), they are all weak, and it has even been said that they are fabricated. Whoever desires to visit graves, or to visit the grave of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in a legislated manner for the sake of taking a lesson, drawing a warning, making du'a for the dead, sending blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and expressing satisfaction with his two companions, without traveling specifically for it or setting out on a journey for that purpose, then his visit is prescribed (mashru') and reward is hoped for him in it. But whoever travels for it, sets out on a journey for it, or visits hoping for blessing and benefit from it, or sets specific times for his visit, then his visit is an innovation (bid'ah) for which no authentic text exists, and it was not known from the Salaf of this Ummah. In fact, texts have been transmitted prohibiting it, as in the hadith: narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim, and the hadith: narrated by Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab al-Maqdisi in (al-Mukhtarat).