Some benefits extracted by Shaykh al-Uthaymeen in explanation of verse 82 of Surah al-Ma’idah:
Humility is from the means for the acceptance of truth and gaining affection of the believers.
A benefit taken from this verse is that arrogance is a cause of rejecting the truth, humility is a means for the truth to be accepted, because a person should not hold himself to be infallible, so when the truth becomes clear to him he follows it. Umar (Allah be pleased with him) wrote to Abu Moosa Al-Ash’aree (Allah be pleased with him) and said, “Do not let an affair which you have performed today prevent you from returning to the truth tomorrow” or speech similar to this; meaning that you follow and adhere to the truth wherever it is and you humble yourself to the truth, humble yourself in face of the truth.
Does this humility in face of the truth mean that a person is lowly? No, because the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa salam) said, “Whoever humbles himself for Allah, Allah raises him” and whoever humbles himself to the truth is given success in following the truth, and a sign of this is if the truth becomes clear to you, you follow it immediately without hesitation or argumentation, if you hesitate or debate then it is extremely dangerous for you, Allah (The Most High) said,
وَنُقَلِّبُ أَفۡـِٔدَتَهُمۡ وَأَبۡصَٰرَهُمۡ كَمَا لَمۡ يُؤۡمِنُواْ بِهِۦٓ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ
And We shall turn their hearts and their eyes away (from guidance), as they refused to believe therein for the first time
Al-An’am 6:110
Due to this, when they truth becomes clear to you, do not debate or argue, going left and right attempting to justify yourself, for indeed you are in danger. Allah (The Mighty and Majestic) said,
بَلۡ كَذَّبُواْ بِٱلۡحَقِّ لَمَّا جَآءَهُمۡ فَهُمۡ فِىٓ أَمۡرٍ مَّرِيجٍ
Nay, but they have denied the truth (this Quran) when it has come to them, so they are in a confused state (can not differentiate between right and wrong). Qaf 50:5
For them truth is mixed/confused with falsehood.
Pay attention to this, you are a student of knowledge and it’s possible that someone opposes you from the people based upon evidence however you want to impose your opinion (upon others), this is a grave error!
Follow the truth wherever it is, the people will follow you wherever you are because the people desire and seek the truth, so if they see that you follow the truth when it becomes clear to you and you return to the truth, they will return (and follow the truth).
Therefore, humbling oneself to the truth in reality it raises, just as the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa salam) said, “Whoever humbles himself for Allah, Allah raises him” and in opposition to that is arrogance – Refuge is sought with Allah – arrogance causes the truth not to be accepted nor followed.
Tafseer SuraH Ma’idah verse 82 of Shaykh Al-Uthaymeen (Allah have Mercy upon him)