Musnad Ahmad 2745

It was narrated from Ibn 'Abbas (رضي الله عنه) that The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to go out to pass water, then he would wipe his hands with dust. I would say: O Messenger of Allah, water is close to you. He would say: “How do I know? I may never reach it.” On another occasion Yahya said: I was with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and he went out and passed water, then he did tayammum, and it was said to him: Water is close to us.