This study aims to represent and analyze the social ideal models proposed by two prominent contemporary Iranian religious intellectuals, Ali Shariati and Abdolkarim Soroush. Focusing on their influential roles—Shariati in the years leading to the Islamic Revolution and Soroush in the post‑revolution decades—the research seeks to uncover how each thinker, through his social thought, rejects undesirable conditions and articulates an idealized social order. Employing the discourse analysis method and theory of Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe, the study addresses key questions about the slogans, attributes, and discursive systems embedded in their most significant works. The analysis reveals that Shariati’s discourse centers on achieving the Islamic Ummah in all its dimensions and characteristics, emphasizing social and cultural mobility toward a just and committed community. Soroush’s thought, in contrast, evolves around epistemic transformation, pluralism, and a non‑ideological understanding of religion. By comparatively mapping their discursive structures, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of how religious intellectuals in Iran have envisioned a desirable society and responded to enduring social concerns