حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ لَهِيعَةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ هُبَيْرَةَ عَنْ حَنَشٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يَخْرُجُ فَيُهَرِيقُ الْمَاءَ فَيَتَمَسَّحُ بِالتُّرَابِ فَأَقُولُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ الْمَاءَ مِنْكَ قَرِيبٌ فَيَقُولُ وَمَا يُدْرِينِي لَعَلِّي لَا أَبْلُغُهُ
مسند امام احمد بن حنبل · Hadith 2614
It was narrated from Ibn 'Abbas (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to go out to pass water, then he would wipe his hands with dust. I said: O Messenger of Allah, water is close to you. He said: "How do I know? I may never reach it."
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020