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Q&A · Hajj

What is the etiquette and virtue of visiting the Prophet's ﷺ Mosque in Madinah?

Visiting Masjid an-Nabawi in Madinah is not a rite of Hajj — the pillars of Hajj all take place in and around Mecca — but it is deeply recommended and many pilgrims arrange their journey to include it, before or after Hajj. Its virtue is immense: the Prophet ﷺ said, "A prayer in this mosque of mine is better than a thousand prayers in any other mosque except Al-Masjid al-Haram" (Sahih al-Bukhari 1190).

Etiquette includes entering with the right foot while reciting the sunnah supplication for entering a mosque, praying two rak'ahs of greeting, and, where crowds allow, visiting the Rawdah — the area between the Prophet's ﷺ former pulpit and his house, described in hadith as "a garden from the gardens of Paradise." Visitors offer respectful salutations at his grave and those of his companions Abu Bakr and Umar nearby, without raising the voice, touching the grave, or seeking blessings from the structure itself, which scholars caution against as it can drift toward practices resembling grave-worship. Many pilgrims also visit Quba Mosque and the Baqi' cemetery while in Madinah.

References
Sahih al-Bukhari 1190
Informational, not a personal fatwa. Consult a qualified scholar for rulings on your situation.

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