Political Motives in the Fabrication of Traditions on Praising and Dispraising Territories

There are numerous traditions in Sunni and Shiite collections of Hadith on the virtues and vices of certain cities or regions. Some of Hadith collections have devoted a chapter or more to this type of traditions. Some special works have also been authored on thesetraditions. By the way, Hadith experts of both schools of thought have considered a large number of these traditions fabricated. In addition to religious motives, one of the most significant causes of fabrication of these traditions is political motives. Taking a descriptive analytical method, the present article explains various political motives in fabrication of traditions of praising and dispraising territories along with a case study of certain fabricated traditions. Relying on the analytical model based on the relation of Hadith to power - motivating the audience by its spiritual influence - the authors have tried toindicate that how some of the Umayyad and Abbasid rulers have benefitted from this opportunity pursuing their political goals through fabrication of traditions.