Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
hakim:6046Abū al-ʿAbbās Muḥammad b. Yaʿqūb > al-Ḥasan b. ʿAlī b. ʿAffān > Abū Usāmah > Hishām b. ʿUrwah from his father > Ḥakīm b. Ḥizām

[Machine] "I emancipated forty slaves during the pre-Islamic era (ignorance). So, I asked the Prophet ﷺ if I would receive any reward for it. He replied, 'You have already done a good deed by embracing Islam.'" This is an authentic narration according to the conditions set by both Sheikhain (referring to Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim).  

الحاكم:٦٠٤٦حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ ثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عَفَّانَ ثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ قَالَ

أَعْتَقْتُ أَرْبَعِينَ مُحَرَّرًا فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ فَسَأَلْتُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ هَلْ لِي فِيهِمْ مِنْ أَجْرٍ؟ فَقَالَ «أَسْلَمْتَ عَلَى مَا سَبَقَ لَكَ» صَحِيحٌ عَلَى شَرْطِ الشَّيْخَيْنِ على شرط البخاري ومسلم