Hazrat Ata (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "If a man says to his slave woman: 'I have freed you and married you,' then she is his wife. And if he says: 'I will free you and then marry you,' then when he frees her, if he wishes, he may marry her, and if he wishes, he may not marry her."
Hadith Referenceسنن سعید بن منصور / كتاب النكاح / 2098
Hadith Takhrij«أخرجه سعيد بن منصور فى «سننه» ترقيم الدرالسلفية برقم:، 921، وابن أبى شيبة فى «مصنفه» برقم: 16409»