Question:
What is the ruling of visiting the graves of members of the household of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and his household and give him peace)?

Answer:
Visiting the graves of members of the household of the Prophet is among the best of deeds and is an act of obedience which is most expected to be accepted by the Lord of all creatures. The Prophet urged his community to look after his household; Zaid Ibn Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
One day the Messenger of Allah delivered a sermon at a watering place situated between Mecca and Medina known as Khumm. He praised and extolled Allah, and enjoined them to obey Allah and to remember Him. He then said:

O people, I am a human being about to receive a messenger [the angel of death] from my Lord, and I will comply. I leave you with two lofty things: the first is the Book of Allah which contains correct guidance and light, so hold on fast to it.

He urged them to [busy themselves with] the Qur‘an, and made them desire it. He then said:
The second is my household. I remind you to be mindful of Allah in regards to your duties towards my household. I remind you to be mindful of Allah in regards to your duties towards my household. I remind you to be mindful of Allah in regards to your duties towards my household. [Muslim]

The Prophet also urged on visiting graves. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet said: “Visit graves, for they remind of death” [Muslim], and in another phrasing he said: “…for they remind you of the Afterlife”.

The graves most worthy of visiting – after that of the Prophet – are the graves of his noble household. This is because visiting them and having affection for them shows devotion and maintains ties with the Messenger of Allah . Allah Most High says: Say [Prophet], I ask no reward from you for this, only the affection due to kin [42:23].

Indeed, visiting their graves is better than visiting the graves of one’s deceased relatives. In this regard, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “By Allah in whose Hands is my life: it is more beloved to me to do good to the household of the Messenger of Allah than it is to do so to my own relatives”. He (may Allah be pleased with him) also said, “Be dutiful to Muhammad through his household” [al-Bukhari].