After discussing his goals, now we would find out what his programs are to fulfill these goals. In this way we can analyze our duty during occultation for being prepared for his programs. On the other hand, we can get ready for the time, if we hopefully could see that time, when he comes back and wants to execute his program.
According to Hadiths he will follow his program in three aspects: Cultural, social and economic.
Since the human beings failed to follow God’s rules and have met lots of difficulties and have been involved in corruptions, the world needs a cultural program to revive it and remove all meanness.
It also needs a social reform to remove the rule of the powerful over the weak and recover the wounded body of humanity. Then with the right program which Imam Mahdi (p.b.u.h.) will launch, every one will get his absolute rights.
When every member of society has the same chance to be treated fairly, they will receive the natural resources equally. There will be no discrimination among different classes of the society and all people can live their normal lives. Now let us explain details of this threefold program.

1. Cultural program
He will begin a cultural movement in order to improve the cultural status of the world. He will primarily remove ignorance and unawareness. In this he follows these goals:

a. Revival of Koran and Sunnah
After centuries of ignorance, Koran comes back to every body’s life. During these times, no one paid much attention to Sunnah and most of Hadiths were changed or forgotten.
At his time people consider Sunnah as the best method of life and all behaviors and deed are compared with Koran and Hadiths.
Imam Ali (p.b.u.h.) explains his time:
“[He comes back,] when desires and passions rule over humanity; so, he changes it with salvation and guides all people. [He comes back] when they interpret Koran by their personal opinions and he shows them the truth of Koran and accomplishes it all over the world.”
And again he says:
“It is like that I see my Shiites already, setting in Kufa Mosque and teaching people the truth of Koran.”

b. Developing Morality and Spirituality
Koran and Hadiths stress on moral and spiritual growth more than any thing else. The most important factor to the perfection of human soul is virtues and morality. The holy prophet (p.b.u.h.) said he was appointed as prophet to complete morality and virtues and Koran indicates that he is the best one to be followed as a model. But unfortunately we are for away from the guidance and perfection which are mentioned in Koran and Hadiths and immorality and corruption is seen all around the world and especially in Islamic Societies. This corruption has ruined all individual and social life of people.
Imam Mahdi (p.b.u.h.) will bring back the virtues to our societies and will follow spirituality and morality as his plan to institutionalize them in the society.
Imam Baqer (p.b.u.h.) says:
“When our Upholder rises up, he shall put his hand on people’s heads and collect their minds together and make their moral perfect.”
This beautiful metaphor indicates that during his reign, which is the rule of morality and spirituality, the base for moral perfection of people will be prepared. It is obvious that corruption is a result of ignorance and perfection is the blossom of perfect Mind. On the other hand, when the environment is full of Koran clues and divine traditions, all the members of the society will move toward divine values and morality.

c. Scientific movement
As Imam Ali (p.b.u.h.) describes Imam Mahdi (p.b.u.h.), he is the most knowledgeable person in the world. One of the most important programs in cultural field which he will follow is to develop a scientific movement. The holy prophet (p.b.u.h.) says:
“…The ninth Imam [of Imam Hussein (p.b.u.h.)’s offspring] is the upholder, who shall be sent to men by God’s order; he fills the world with justice as it is full of cruelty and injustice and lightens up the world when it is drowned into darkness and he fills the world with knowledge when it is trapped in ignorance…”
This movement covers all people, men and women, and all classes. There shall be no difference to gain the highest levels of knowledge between men and women.
Imam Baqer (p.b.u.h.) says:
“At the time of Imam Mahdi (p.b.u.h.) knowledge shall be granted to you, so that a woman in her house can judge according to Koran and Sunnah.”
This Hadiths shows the depth of knowledge that people will have at that time, for judgment is a difficult job which needs complete awareness of Koran and Hadiths.

d. fighting Heresies
Heresy is a new belief which is against the principles of religion and it is compared with tradition. Heresy is based on personal beliefs of a specific group. Imam Ali (p.b.u.h.) describes these people like this:
“Heresy makers are against God’s rule and His prophet’s orders. They so according to their wishes and desires even though they are a lot.”
Therefore, those who follow heresy are the enemies of God and Koran and they do as they wish and like. This is absolutely different from analyzing Koran and Hadiths according to divine criteria and making conclusions. Heresy ruins tradition and God’s rule. It is the most dangerous thing for religion.
Imam Ali (p.b.u.h.) says:
“Nothing ruins religion like Heresies.”
Therefore, the scholars should stand against those who make heresies and show the truth of their deceitful deeds and let others know the right path and prevent them from going astray. The holy prophet (p.b.u.h.) says:
“When heresies appear among my people, the scholars should reveal their knowledge [and let others know the truth]. God shall curse whoever does not do so.”
Unfortunately, lots of heresies have been entered into Islam, after the holy prophet (p.b.u.h.) passed away. The enemies and those who followed their own desires and passions, showed wrong paths to Muslims and made lots of Muslim go astray. In this way they changed the face of Islam and covered it with their personal interpretations. However, Imams and jurists and scholars made lots of efforts to show the true face of Islam again, while the enemies continued to make new heresies and rain traditions. So, during Occultation heresies increased and more traditions have been forgotten.
The world is now waiting for its heavenly leader to revive Islam and traditions, to remove heresies and to give us the correct interpretation of Koran. Therefore, the most important program that he follows is to remove heresies in order to prepare people for perfection and salvation.
Imam Baqer (p.b.u.h.) describes him as this:
“[Imam Mahdi (p.b.u.h.)] shall not leave even a heresy but he removes it, and shall not leave a tradition but he revives it.”

2. Economic program
A good society has a good economy. If we utilize natural resources correctly and the government considers all members and classes of the society to be able to use all sources, we will establish a society in which no specific class holds all sources and therefore, the people move forward to morality and spirituality. Koran and Imams have also considered the economic situation of people and ordered to make it better. In Imam Mahdi (p.b.u.h.) era, people live under the rule of Koran and will benefit from a useful and practical economic program. Imam Mahdi (p.b.u.h.) settles the production affair and uses natural resources the best; besides he distributes the wealth between people fairly.

a. Natural Resources
One problem which the world faces nowadays is the wrong use of natural resources. The soil is polluted and misused; the water is not used to revive the earth. In his time the rain pours down generously and the earth produces crops steadily.
Imam Ali (p.b.u.h.) says:
“When our upholder rises up, it rains a lot and the plants grow more…”
When he comes back, all resources shall be in his hand and the treasures inside the earth will be shown to him, in order to organize a fruitful economy.
Imam Baqer (p.b.u.h.) says:
“…the earth will be moved for him and all its inside treasures will be thrown out…”

b. Fair distribution of wealth
One of characteristics which a stagnant economy has is the accumulation of wealth in some classes. It has always been the same when some people consider a power for them; they try to use public wealth for their own purposes.
Imam Mahdi (p.b.u.h.) shall stand against these greedy ones and will distribute the wealth among all people fairly.
It is the justice his father Imam Ali (p.b.u.h.) showed that he represents. Imam Baqer (p.b.u.h.) said:
“When our upholder rises up, he will distribute [the wealth and properties] equally and behaves people fairly…”
In his time, one of principles will be fulfilled: equal rights.
The holy prophet (p.b.u.h.) said:
“I announce the good news of Mahdi (p.b.u.h.) who will rise up among my people…, he distributes the wealth correctly. They asked him: “what do you mean?” He said: “It means that he will treat people equally.”
The main result of this equality is that the poverty will be eliminated and the gap between classes will be filled.
Imam Baqer (p.b.u.h.) says:
“Imam Mahdi (p.b.u.h.) will treat people equally and fairly so that no one will need zakat [= a kind of religiously obligatory charity.]

c. Development and Progress
In our world, the governments pay the most attention to the high class parts of cities and most of lower class regions of the country suffer from poverty and difficult situation of their environment. But Imam Mahdi (p.b.u.h.) won’t forget any one and will develop all parts of the world.
Imam Baqer describes the world in his time:
“There shall remain not even one ruin part but he shall rebuild it…”

3. Social Program
He will follow a specific and exact social program according to which the society moves on and development in this part shall be fulfilled. The social development is based on Koran and Hadiths and it is clear that when the society is changed based on God’s orders, all people move forward and they enjoin each other to good deeds and admonish each other from bad deeds. The law stops criminals and everyone benefits from equal social rights. This is the real social justice which Imam Mahdi (p.b.u.h.) shall bring to our societies. Here are principles of his social program:
a. Enjoining to good and forbidding the evil
Since enjoining the good and forbidding the evil is one of rules in Islam, Imam Mahdi (p.b.u.h.) will fulfill it universally. Koran indicates that this rule is one of specific features which make the Islamic society the best community in the world. It is the cause of all obligatory duties, as Imam Baqer (p.b.u.h.) says:
“Enjoining to good and forbidding the evil is an obligatory duty which revives all other duties…”
With enjoining to good the society grows in the path of virtues and with forbidding the evil, the community is saved from immoralities.
The important point is that the leader and his agents enjoin. To good and forbid the evil more than others.
Imam Baqer (p.b.u.h.) says:
“Imam Mahdi and his followers enjoin to good and forbid the evil…”
b. Fighting immoralities and Corruption
Forbidding the evil and preventing immoralities should be practically practiced in order to make a pure society in which there is no immorality or corruption. In a prayer well known as Nodbeh [= wailing] we say:
“Where is the one who shall tear apart the ropes of lies and calumny? Where is the one who shall clear the world from all signs of corruption and desires?”

c. Administering certain punishments
There are many ways to stop, control or fight with criminals. Imam Mahdi (p.b.u.h.) tries to change them with cultural methods and establish new beliefs and faith for them so they do not commit crimes any more. On the other hand he changes the life of people and backgrounds which are cause to crimes, so the security and safety can be felt in the society. But those who do not change their behavior and still follow the evil should be punished according to Islamic rules. These certain punishments stop the criminals and make the society safe again.
Imam Javad (p.b.u.h.) narrates from the holy prophet (p.b.u.h.):
“[Imam Mahdi (p.b.u.h.)] comes back and administers certain punishments of God…”
d. Justice
Justice is the most important point mentioned in Hadiths about Imam Mahdi (p.b.u.h.). He rules fairly and makes judgments according to God’s orders. Judgment in this world is the one part which includes most cruelty, dishonesty and in justice. Many properties are expropriated, lots of innocent ones are sentenced to death and many honorable men have been imprisoned. Dishonesty rules over courts and the weak ones are treated unjustly. Most of sentences are affected by powerful ones and cruel rulers and many lives and properties have been destroyed completely. Greedy Judges make unjust sentences which are either to kill an innocent person or to release a guilty one.
Imam Mahdi (p.b.u.h.) ends all injustice, cruelty and partiality. He chooses his judges and agents among pious and just people so no one treats the other cruelly all around the world.
Imam Reza (p.b.u.h.) describes his era:
“When he comes back, the earth will be enlightened by God’s light and he establishes his court of justice in the world so that no one treats the other cruelly.”
This Hadith shows his justice which prevents all kinds of cruelty. He is exact and careful in judgment and never lets others to treat any one cruelly.