'Abdullah b. K'ab, who was his (Ka'b's) guide as he became blind, reported that he heard from Ka'b b. Malik the story of his staying behind Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) from the expedition of Tabuk. The rest of the hadith is the same (but with this variation) that in the narration transmitted on the authority of Yunus (the words are):When Allah's Messenger (may. peace be upon him) intended to set on an expedition he kept It as a secret, but. be did not do so in thic. expedition. And in the narration transmitted on the authority of Muhammad b. Abdullah b. Muslim, there is no mention of Abu Khaithana (Allah be pleased with him) and no mention of his meeting with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ).
وَحَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، حَدَّثَنِي يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ، اللَّهِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ ابْنُ أَخِي الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ عَمِّهِ، مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ الزُّهْرِيِّ أَخْبَرَنِي عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ، بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ أَنَّ عُبَيْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، وَكَانَ، قَائِدَ كَعْبٍ حِينَ عَمِيَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ كَعْبَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ يُحَدِّثُ حَدِيثَهُ حِينَ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي غَزْوَةِ تَبُوكَ . وَسَاقَ الْحَدِيثَ وَزَادَ فِيهِ عَلَى يُونُسَ فَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَلَّمَا يُرِيدُ غَزْوَةً إِلاَّ وَرَّى بِغَيْرِهَا حَتَّى كَانَتْ تِلْكَ الْغَزْوَةُ . وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ فِي حَدِيثِ ابْنِ أَخِي الزُّهْرِيِّ أَبَا خَيْثَمَةَ وَلُحُوقَهُ بِالنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
Muslim
The Book of Repentance • Hadith 63