Hadith: There was a man who used to give loans to people. He would say to his servant: ‘When you come to an insolvent person, overlook his debt; perhaps Allah would overlook our sins.’

عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال:
«كان رجلٌ يُدَايِنُ الناسَ، فكان يقول لفتاه: إذا أتيتَ مُعسِرًا فتجاوز عنه، لعل اللهَ يَتجاوزُ عنا، فلقي اللهَ فتجاوز عنه».
[صحيح] - [متفق عليه] - [صحيح مسلم: 1562]

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"There was a man who used to give loans to people. He would say to his servant: ‘When you come to an insolvent person, overlook his debt; perhaps Allah would overlook our sins.’ So, the man met Allah (after death), and He overlooked his sins."
[Authentic hadith] - [Narrated by Bukhari & Muslim] - [Sahih Muslim - 1562]

Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) talks about a man who used to give loans to people or sell to them with deferred payment. He used to say to his servant who would collect debts from the people: When you go to a debtor and find him unable to repay the debt, "overlook his debt", either by giving him respite or not pressing him to pay, or by accepting the little he offers, though it falls below the due amount. He did that in the hope that Allah would pardon and forgive him. When he died, Allah forgave him and overlooked his sins.