Question Summary:
What is the proper method of visiting graveyards and is it an act of virtue?

Question Detail:

My question is in three parts
1) I would like to know the Sunnah method of visiting graveyards to offer Fatihah, what duas should be recited etc
2) Secondly I have made it a habit to visit my father's grave after some time. Over the course of time I have started thinking of this visit to his grave as an act of virtue thinking that I will get reward for going to my father's grave.
Please advise me whether the belief I have developed is okay or not.
3) The final question is that is it proven from the Sunnah of our Beloved Prophet SAW that he visited the grave of his parents to offer Fatihah?

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
1. The method of visiting graves has been mentioned in detail in Fatwa #16300 available at the following link: http://askimam.org/public/question_detail/16300
 
 
2. Yes, visiting graves is mandub (recommended) and as such an act of virtue. [i] [ii]
There are multiple benefits from visiting the graves for both the visitor and the deceased. The visitor is reminded of death, the brevity of one's life and the transitory nature of the dunya. The deceased benefits since the visitor seeks forgiveness for them and conveys the reward of recitation of the Quran.
3. Rasulullah (salallahu alayhi wa sallam) use to visit the graveyard of al-Baqi' in Madinah and make dua for those buried there. [iii]
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Sohail ibn Arif,
Student Darul Iftaa
Chicago, USA
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
 
قوله وبزيارة القبور) أي لا بأس بها، بل تندب كما في البحر عن المجتبى) [i]
  رد المحتار، ٢ / ٢٤٢
 
  وفي هذا الحديث دليل لاستحباب زيارة القبور والسلام على أهلها والدعاء لهم والترحم عليهم [ii]
  شرح النووي على مسلم، ٧/ ٤١
 
 قوله صلى الله عليه وسلم اللهم اغفر لأهل بقيع الغرقد [iii]
المرجع السابق