Только для MySQL, без использования PHP
SELECT uid
from (
SELECT u.uid, @r:= if(@u=u.uid,@r+1,1) r, @u:=u.uid
FROM users AS u
CROSS JOIN (select @u:=null) g
INNER JOIN files AS x ON u.uid = x.fid
WHERE u.`left` = '0'
AND u.active = '1'
ORDER BY u.uid ASC
) U
WHERE U.r <= 5
ORDER BY uid ASC
или, в общем, просто SQL без переменных MySQL
SELECT u.uid
from (
SELECT u.uid, count(*) C
FROM users AS u
INNER JOIN files AS x ON u.uid = x.fid
WHERE u.`left` = '0'
AND u.active = '1'
GROUP BY u.uid
) U inner join (
select 1 n union all select 2 union all select 3
union all select 4 union all select 5) V ON U.C>=V.n
ORDER BY U.uid ASC