Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 39780 — What Abu Bakr (Ibn Abi Shaybah)

Abd al-Rahman bin Ka'b bin Malik narrates from his father that whenever the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) intended a campaign (it was his habit) to conceal it by alluding to another, until the Battle of Tabuk came. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) made the journey to Tabuk in intense heat, and on this journey he (peace and blessings be upon him) had to go to a distant place. So he (peace and blessings be upon him) made their matter (the campaign) clear to the Muslims and informed them of it, so that the people could make preparations worthy of the enemy. And he (peace and blessings be upon him) also told the Companions the direction in which he (peace and blessings be upon him) intended to go.