A Criticism of Epistemology and the Social-Political Categorizations of Shabestari

The purpose of the present study is to describe and criticize the social-political categorizations of Mojtahed Shabestari that are a mixture of some western and Islamic instructions. To this aim, his epistemological approach and social-political categorizations including justice, freedom, politics, government, and democracy were studied using qualitative content analysis. Based on the results of this research, Mojtahed Shabestari in some fields such as justice, freedom, politics, and governance, aims to discuss solutions for the issues in politics that according to his claim, should be decided within political philosophy through rational measures and therefore, Fiqh (jurisprudence) and Shi'ite Islam is silent towards them. In the realm of politics, he has presented some solutions through normative and secular methods mostly adopted from the liberal idea of democracy and has also used the references in Islam to justify and confirm his arguments.