Hadith 3596

(حديث مرفوع) حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ ، حَدَّثَنَا الْأَعْمَشُ ، عَنْ شَقِيقٍ ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ، قَالَ : أَتَى النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ رَجُلٌ ، فَقَالَ : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ، إِذَا أَحْسَنْتُ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ ، أُؤَاخَذُ بِمَا عَمِلْتُ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ ؟ فَقَالَ : " إِذَا أَحْسَنْتَ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ ، لَمْ تُؤَاخَذْ بِمَا عَمِلْتَ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ ، وَإِذَا أَسَأْتَ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ ، أُخِذْتَ بِالْأَوَّلِ وَالْآخِرِ " .
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that once a man came to the service of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! If I accept Islam and adopt good deeds, will I be held accountable for the deeds of the time of ignorance? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When you accept Islam and adopt good deeds, you will not be held accountable for the deeds of the time of ignorance, but if you continue to do evil deeds after accepting Islam, then you will be held accountable for both the former and the latter."
Hadith Reference مسند احمد / مسند المكثرين من الصحابة / 3596
Hadith Grading حکم دارالسلام: إسناده صحيح، خ: 6921، م: 120