Final answer:
According to Sunnis, any pious man who follows Muhammad's example can lead the Muslim community, and being a direct descendant of Muhammad is not a necessity.
Therefore, option A is correct.
Step-by-step explanation:
The qualifications for being a ruler of Islam according to the Sunnis do not include that the ruler must be a direct descendant of Muhammad. Instead, Sunnis believe that any pious man who followed the example of Muhammad could lead the Muslim community. This view is opposed to the Shia interpretation, which maintains that leadership should reside within the Prophet's family, specifically through his son-in-law, Ali. Sunnis respect Ali and all the Twelve Imams, but do not see them as divinely chosen to lead the Muslim community exclusively.
To further clarify, the qualifications as per the Sunni perspective are more inclusively based on piety, religious knowledge, and adherence to the Prophetic tradition, rather than being based on lineage. Thus, for Sunnis, a sultan—a ruler—claims authority over the Islamic community but not necessarily rested solely on being a direct descendant of Muhammad through Ali, as the Shia believe.