There have been many examples in history, where 12th Imam, Imam al-Mahdi (as) has guided and helped his followers:

There once lived a great Mujtahid named Allama Majlisi. Once this Mujtahid was asked what to do with the body of a pregnant woman who had died. Should the dead woman be buried as she was or should she be cut open and the child removed, then the woman buried?

Allama Majlisi decided that the woman should be buried as she was, with the child.

When the people were carrying the coffin to the grave, a horseman appeared and said that Allama Majlisi had decided that the baby should be removed, and this was done.

A few years later Allama Majlisi was visited by a man with a small child. The man told Allama Majlisi that this was the same child that had been cut from his mother after Allama Majlisi had sent the horseman telling the people that he had changed his instructions.

horseman immediately realized that the horseman must have been Imam al-Mahdi (as) who had come to his help, preventing him making a grave mistake.

From that day Allama Majlisi stayed in his house refusing to give anymore advice to the people, in case he made another mistake. In a few days he received a letter from Imam al-Mahdi (as) telling him that he should not worry and should continue to guide the people. If by any chance he made a mistake, Imam al-Mahdi (as) would come to his help and solve the problem.

The duties of each and every Muslim in the time of Ghaibat-e-Kubra (Major Occultaion) is:

1. To be the caretakers of Islam.
2. To pray for the safety of 12th Imam, Imam al-Mahdi (as) and give Sadaqah for his safety.
3. Ask Allah to make 12th Imam, Imam al-Mahdi (as) appearance soon, so that he may come and fill the world with truth and peace.
4. Whenever the name of 12th Imam, Imam al-Mahdi (as) is said, you should stand, placing your right hand on your head and bow your head. You should also recite Salawaat after his name.

Conclusion: The Holy Prophet Muhammed (SAW) has said that if someone dies without knowing the Imam (as) of his time, his death is that of an unbeliever. We must therefore carry out our duties to our 12th Imam, Imam al-Mahdi (as) who is still alive and in Ghaibat (concealment).

There was a pious man called Syed Muhammad Jabal Amili who was traveling through the desert with a caravan of people, when he got lost.

Syed Amili searched and searched for the caravan but could not find them. It became dark as night set in. He was all alone in the hot desert, tired, hungry and frightened.

He was about to give up and prepare himself for death when he suddenly saw some water. He went to the water, drank some and then did wudhu (ablution) and offered his Salaat (prayer).

After his Salaat he did not have any more strength and lay there waiting for death.

All of a sudden he saw a person riding a horse getting closer and closer to him.

When the horse rider reached Syed Amili he said Salaam to him and asked him what the matter was. Syed Amili explained that he had lost his caravan and was hungry.

The rider asked him why he did not eat the melons that were lying beside him. Syed Amili asked the rider not to make fun of him as he had searched all over for food.

The rider said he was not joking, and ask to look behind him. Syed Amili looked and there were three melons.

The rider then told him to eat one of them and to take the other two with him and pointed out the direction he was to go in. He also told Syed Amili that at about sunset he would reach a tent and from there he would be guided to his caravan.

Then the rider disappeared. Syed Amili says that was when he realized that it was our 12th Imam, Imam al-Mahdi (as).

Syed Amili did as he was told and sure enough the next day at sunset he reached the tent and was directed to his caravan.

Conclusion: Although we cannot see our 12th Imam, Imam al-Mahdi (as), but he can see us and knows when we are in need of his help and comes to help us.

A little ten year old girl was accompanying her mother to visit the House of Allah, The Holy Kaaba. All the people had white seamless rips on.

Suddenly she found that she had lost her mother. She looked every where but couldn't see her so she cried: "O mum! O dear mother..."

The people were circumambulating the Holy Kaaba and were shouting "Here I am." So no one could hear her cries.

So she said to herself: "O my Allah! What should I do now"? I can neither go back, nor do I know how to circumambulate the Holy Kaaba.

Once again she went here and there and looked for her mother hopping that she would be able to find her, but it was useless, there were no sign of her at all. She suddenly remembered her aunt who while biding her farewell had told her: "When you reached Holy Kaaba, extend my greetings to my Master, 12th Imam, Imam al-Mahdi (as)!"

She raised her little hands to the sky and cried out sorrowfully "O Mahdi, rescue me. O you, the Expected Imam helps me out."

Suddenly she heard a voice which was calling her by her name.

She raised her head and saw a handsome man in Ihram who was standing before her.

The stranger said: "little girl rise and circumambulate the Holy Kaaba."

The little girl said: "But I do not know how to Circumambulate. Moreover, I can not circumambulate the Holy of Kaaba alone among this crowd."

The stranger said: "Come with me and act just as I do." Thus she rose and circumambulated the Holy Kaaba along with 12th Imam, Imam al-Mahdi (as). When they circumambulated the Holy Kaaba for the seventh time the stranger told the girl, "Dear little girl! Your mother and friends are there. So hurry up and join them."

She looked that way. Yes, he was right. Her mother was among the women standing there in with dresses, she recognized her mother at first sight so she turned to the stranger to thank him, but had disappeared.

She looked every where, but she could not find him and thus she ran to her mother, embraced her and kissed her face. Her mother said: "Where were you, O my daughter? I was so anxious about you that I was about to give up my ghost."

The little girl quite happily explained whatever had happened to her for her mother. When she finished speaking, her mother took her in her arms and began to cry. She then said: "O my dear daughter! You called your 12th Imam, Imam al-Mahdi (as) and the Imam helped you. You really met the Expected Imam al-Mahdi (as). O my daughter!"

"You mean I have circumambulated the Holy Kaaba along with 12th Imam, Imam al-Mahdi (as)! I do not believe it!"

She suddenly remembered that she had to extend her aunt's greetings to 12th Imam, Imam al-Mahdi (as). Thus she turned to the people who were circumambulating the Holy Kaaba and shouted. "O my Master! I beg your pardon! I nearly forgot, my aunt has extended her greetings to you."

The heat of the sun burned the surface of the desert and made it actually impossible for any living thing to carry on. He missed his caravan and didn't know the way. Wherever he turned, he saw the endless desert.

He lost his patience because of the great thirst and felt himself somehow on the verge of death. He thought for a while and said to himself: "I must die. Those vultures flying over my head and these ants are all after my dead body. There is no way out and death is irresistible.

Suddenly, he came to himself by the neigh of a horse. Then he gathered all his power to open up his eyes and look at the horizon. Suddenly he saw a handsome young horseman who was coming toward him. He said to himself: "Is it an illusion? Am I dreaming? Is he really coming to help me?"

The horseman approached and gave him a bowl of water. He drank it up and said "What a fine water! How cold and sweet it is! Who are you, O man?!"

You actually rescued me!

The stranger answered: "It is me who shall fill the world with justice. This is me, God's true reason and proof for His servants. I am God's Remainder."

All at once the man began to tremble. He felt himself as a drop before an ocean of firmness and generosity. The 12th Imam, Imam al-Mahdi (as) then told him: "Close your eyes!" He closed his eyes and when he opened them upon the Imam's command, he found himself in front of his missing Caravan. The moment he really came to and looked around to thank 12th Imam, Imam al-Mahdi (as), he found that the Imam (May God hasten his glad advent) was gone and disappeared.