The student of Shaikh Ibn Taimiyah, Allamah Zahabi رحمهما الله in refuting the one who reprimands a person for standing by the Messenger’s grave  على صاحبه الصلاة والسلام and supplicating and sending salutations on him, using the following hadith: “Do not make my house a place of celebration, and do not make your homes graves. Send salutations on me from wherever you are, because your salutations reach me”, said:

“[He] has not use as evidence anything that has much meaning. The person who stands by the sanctified room in a humble manner and sends peace and salutations on his Nabi صلى الله عليه و سلم, then glad tidings for him, because he has embellished his visit (ziyarah), and was beautiful in humility and love. He has surely performed an extra act of worship over the one who sends salutations from his land or in his salah. Since, for the visitor, is the reward of visiting and that of salutations, while the one who sends greetings from all other cities only receives the reward of the salutations. Whosoever sends one salah on him صلى الله عليه و سلم, Allah sends ten salahs on him.

However, if a person visits him صلى الله عليه و سلم and spoilt the etiquettes of ziyarah, prostrated to the grave or did any action that is not lawful, then he has done good and bad. Therefore he should be educated with gentleness, as Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful. Because, by Allah, anxiousness, screaming, kissing of walls and crying a lot does not emanate from a Muslim but that he loves Allah and his Rasool صلى الله عليه و سلم.

His love is the criterion that will differentiate between the people of Jannah and those of Hell. Visiting his grave is one of the most virtuous deeds (فزيارة قبره من افضل القرب). Travelling to the graves of the Prophets and pious, if we were to (hypothetically) accept that it is not permitted due to the generality of his statement “Do not travel but to the three masajid”, then traveling to our Nabi صلى الله عليه و سلم necessitates travelling to his Masjid, and that is permissible without any dispute, because one cannot reach to his room except by entering his masjid. So start with tahiyatul masjid and then with the greetings of the master of the Masjid  على صاحبه الصلاة والسلام . May Allah grant us and you that. Aameen.”

By this last statement Allamah Zahabi is refuting his Shaikh, Ibn Taimiyah on his stance of the impermissibility of travelling to visit the Messenger’s grave. And Allah knows best.

[Seeyaru ‘Alaamin Nubalaa by Zahabi Vol.4 Pg.483-485]