According to early Islamic history, what did the Shiites believe about the rule of the Umayyad Caliphate over the Muslim community?

Introduction / Context:
This question belongs to the topic of early Islamic history and the origins of the division between Sunni and Shia branches of Islam. The Shiites or Shia Muslims supported the leadership of the family of Prophet Muhammad through Ali and his descendants. They strongly opposed the rule of the Umayyad dynasty, which they viewed as usurpers of legitimate leadership. Understanding this conflict helps explain many later developments in Islamic political and religious history.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The group discussed is the Shiites or Shia Muslims.
- The ruling house mentioned is the Umayyad Caliphate.
- The question asks about what the Shiites believed regarding the Umayyad rule.
- The focus is on legitimacy of power, not on minor religious practices.

Concept / Approach:
The key concept is the dispute over who should lead the Muslim community after the death of Prophet Muhammad. Shiites believed that leadership, both spiritual and political, should stay within the family of the Prophet, beginning with Ali and then his descendants. When the Umayyad family took control of the caliphate, Shiites rejected their authority and considered their rule illegitimate. Therefore, the correct option must capture the idea that the Umayyad dynasty should not be in power at all, rather than simply needing reforms or more prayer.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Shiites supported Ali and his descendants as rightful leaders, called Imams.Step 2: After Ali and his son Husayn, power passed to the Umayyad family, who were part of another branch of the Quraysh tribe.Step 3: Shiites saw this transfer of power as an unjust seizure of leadership and refused to recognise Umayyad rule as legitimate.Step 4: Look at the options and identify which one reflects rejection of Umayyad authority. The option that says the Umayyad should not be in power matches this belief.Step 5: Confirm that the other options either soften this opposition or give ideas the Shiites did not hold, so they must be rejected.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this answer by recalling key events such as the battle of Karbala, where Husayn, grandson of the Prophet, was killed by forces loyal to the Umayyads. This event deeply shaped Shia identity and strengthened their view that the Umayyads were unjust rulers. Historical summaries consistently describe Shiites as rejecting the legitimacy of the Umayyad caliphs, which fits the option stating that the Umayyad should not be in power over the Muslim community.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- The Umayyad should pray more and reform their lifestyle: Shiite opposition was not just about piety but about basic legitimacy and rightful succession.
- The Umayyad dynasty received special treatment from other empires: This may have happened, but it is not the central belief of Shiites about them.
- The Umayyad family had a divine right to rule the caliphate: This is closer to the view that their supporters held, not the Shiite position.
- The Umayyad should expand the empire further into Europe: This concerns military policy, not the question of rightful leadership that concerned Shiites most.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes oversimplify the Sunni Shia split as a dispute over personal character or religious strictness. In reality it focused on who had the legitimate right to lead the Muslim community. Another common error is to think that Shiites merely wanted reforms under Umayyad rule, whereas they actually rejected the authority of that dynasty altogether. Remember to connect Shiite beliefs with Ali, Husayn and the line of Imams rather than with the Umayyad house.

Final Answer:
The Shiites believed that the Umayyad should not be in power over the Muslim community and that leadership belonged instead to the family of the Prophet through Ali and his descendants.