Visiting the Prophet, peace be upon him, is one of the best acts of devotion and the most commendable practices; it is even close to the level of obligatory acts. He, peace be upon him, encouraged it and emphasized its importance; as narrated by Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, he said: "Whoever visits my grave, my intercession becomes obligatory for him" [in Sunan al-Daraqutni 3: 334, and Shua'b al-Iman 6: 51]. And from Hatib, he said: "Whoever visits me after my death, it is as if he visited me during my life" [in Sunan al-Daraqutni 3: 333, and Shua'b al-Iman 6: 46]. It is well established among scholars that he, peace be upon him, is alive and provided for, enjoying all pleasures and acts of worship, except that he is concealed from the eyes of those who are limited in their understanding of noble ranks. See: Al-Ikhtiyar 1: 175, and Lubab al-Manasik pp. 565-569.