Symptoms:Options FollowSymLinks or SymLinksIfOwnerMatch is off which implies that RewriteRule directive is forbidden

Either the .htaccess file is missing the followsymlinks option or another .htaccess is overriding the options.

NOTE: There are TWO Solutions to this problem, I recommend trying Solution #2 first.

Solution #1:

Add: 

Options FollowSymLinks

Above:
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /

(Note: you must have “AllowOverride Options” in effect to permit the use of the “Options” directive in .htaccess files.)

If you are trying to access a pearl type file in a cgi-bin or other directory that does not require the rewrite rule, add an .htaccess file with RewriteEngine off.  This will prevent the above error from occurring.

It is best to add this solution to the httpd.conf file if you have access, the how-to on that file can be found here:

http://httpd.apache.org/docs/current/howto/htaccess.html

 Solution #2:

Modify the dir.conf in apache.

Step 1: From root SSH: vi /etc/apache2/mods-enabled/dir.conf

Step 2 Change:

DirectoryIndex at_domains_index.html index.html index.cgi index.pl index.php index.xhtml index.htm index.shtml index.cfm

to:

DirectoryIndex at_domains_index.html index.html index.cgi index.php index.pl index.xhtml index.htm index.shtml index.cfm

A Simple change in order fixes the symlinks issue.

Special Thanks to XAMeLeOH for posting this for the community.