Visiting the Grave of the Prophet (SAWS) and the Etiquettes of doing so

A narration [ḥadīth] of the Prophet Muhammad(SAWS) [sallallāhu ʿalayhi wasallam: May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him] mentions the importance of three blessed mosques:

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah(SAWS) said: “Mounts are not saddled for except to (travel to) three Masjids: Al-Masjid Al-Haram [Mecca], this Masjid of mine [in Madina], and Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa [in Jerusalem]..” Sunan an-Nasāʾī 700 Also, it was known that whenever the Companions [Sahāba](GBPWH) [radiallāhu ʿanhum: May Allah be pleased with them] went to the Mosque of the Prophet(SAWS) , immediately after finishing the prayer, they would visit his grave to give greetings of peace [salāms] to him (SAWS) as Abdullah bin ʿUmar bin al-Khattāb (GBPWH) used to do.
So, visiting the grave of the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) is one of the greatest actions and forms of obedience we can do to come close to Allah  ﷻ [God, jalla jalāluhu: Great is His Majesty].

Qādi Iyāḍ (GBPWH) said: “Visting the grave of the Prophet (SAWS) is a sunnah [way] that all Muslims have agreed on and it has good merits.” This is proven by the following narration [ḥadīth]:
Abdullah bin Zaid al-Ansari (GBPWH) reported Allah’s Messenger (SAWS) as saying: “That which exists between my pulpit and my house is a garden from the gardens of Paradise.” Saḥīḥ Muslim 1390b “Whoever visits my grave I will be obliged to give him my shifa [intercession].” Qādi Iyāḍ as Shifa 3-842 In another narration [ḥadīth]: “Whoever visits me after my death, it is as if he visited me during my life.” Al-Tabarānī, Al Dār al Quṭnī

The scholars in all schools have made a special section in their books about the etiquette of visiting the grave of the Messenger of Allah (SAWS) [Rasūlullāh] from the beginning of the journey to its return. In hi on the rituals of Hajj and Umra, Al Imām an Nawāwī(MGHMOH)
devoted the sixth section to the subject of visiting the grave of the Prophet (SAWS) and the etiquette of doing so. The scholars of Imam Al-Shāfiʿī (MGHMOH) said, after finishing the pilgrimage of Hajj, one should travel to Madina to visit the grave of the Prophet (SAWS) . It is a confirmed request, and it is one of the best deeds, worship and ways to bring you close to Allah ﷻ . Their proof is in the following verse:

“We did not send any Messenger but to be obeyed by the leave of Allah. Had they, after having wronged themselves, come to you and sought forgiveness from Allah, and had the Messenger prayed for their forgiveness, they would certainly have found Allah Most-Relenting, Very-Merciful.” Qurʾān: Women [An-Nisāʾ] 4: 64

We have made it clear that it is not imaginable that a person would go to the mosque in Medina just to worship without visiting the grave of Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) . It is enough for us as a proof that
the Sahāba (GBPWH) used to always go and visit his grave because they are our example. There are further details of the etiquette of visiting the Prophet’s (SAWS) grave as Imam al Ghazāli (MGHMOH)
mentions in his book Revival of the Religious Sciences [Iḥyaʾ ʿUlūm ad-Dīn]:

“He aims to the mosque and enters it and prays two units of prayer [rakāts] beside the pulpit [mimba]. Then he goes to the grave of the Prophet (SAWS) and stands facing it. The direction of prayer [Qibla] will be behind him and the wall of the grave in front of him. It is not from the Sunnah that you touch the wall or kiss it, but rather [it is appropriate] to stand a bit further away out of respect. He stands and gives greetings of peace [salāms] to the Prophet (SAWS) mentioning his names (SAWS) : ‘The Prophet of Allah, the Beloved of Allah! The Safekeeper of the Revelation [al Waḥī]! The Chosen One of Allah!’ (SAWS) et cetera. Then he should turn to the direction of prayer [qibla], after also giving greetings of peace [salāms] to Sayidina Abu Bakr and Sayidina ʿUmar Al-Khattab (GBPWH)ا and he should praise Allahﷻ and ask Allahﷻ to send his peace and blessings [salāt wa salām] on the Messenger of Allah (SAWS). Then he says, ‘Allah ﷻ , we have come to Your Prophet (SAWS) so he can be our Intercessor to You for our sins. Accept our repentance and make the Messenger of Allah [Rasūlullāh](SAWS)
our Intercessor [shafīʿ]. O Allah , pleaseﷻ let this not be the last time for us to visit Your Prophet (SAWS) or this mosque.’”

After visiting the grave of the Prophet (SAWS) and giving greetings [salāms], it is recommended [mustaḥab] to go to the graveyard, Jannat al Baqīʿ,and visit the graves of the Companions [Saḥāba] (GBPWH) .
Finally, it is also important to know that we should not raise our voices when we visit the grave of the Prophet (SAWS), just as if we were visiting him (SAWS) alive: “O you who believe, do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet, and be not loud when speaking to him, as you are loud when speaking to one another, lest your good deeds should become void while you are not aware.” Qurʾān: The Private Rooms [Al-Hujarāt] 49:2