Salam
This could be ammo for you guys, since this all "shirk" and what not by definition of some of you guys.
But I want to show the Imams (a) are hidden signs of God that lead back to God and accompany believers on the journey per Shiite resources.
Proof 1, The following du'a is attributed to Imam Reda (a) (8th Imam)
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنَّ ذُنُوْبِيْ وَ كَثْرَتَهَا قَدْ اَخْلَقَتْ وَجْهِيْ عِنْدَكَ وَ حَـجَبَتْنِيْ عَنِ اسْتِيْهَالِ رَحْمَتِكَ وَ بَاعَدَتْنِيْ عَنِ اسْتِيْجَابِ مَغْفِرَتِكَ وَ لَوْ لَا تَعَلُّقِيْ بِآلَائِكَ وَ تَـمَسُّكِيْ بِالدُّعَآءِ وَ مَا وَعَدْتَ اَمْثَالِيْ مِنَ الْمُسْرِفِيْنَ وَ اَشْبَاهِيْ مِنَ الْـخَاطِئِيْنَ وَ اَوْعَدْتَ الْقَانِطِيْنَ مِنْ رَحْمَتِكَ بِقَوْلِكَ ’’يٰعِبَادِيَ الَّذِيْنَ اَسْرَفُوْا عَلٰٓي اَنْفُسِہِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوْا مِنْ رَّحْمَۃِ اللہِ۰ۭ اِنَّ اللہَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوْبَ جَمِيْعًا۰ۭ اِنَّہٗ ہُوَ الْغَفُوْرُ الرَّحِيْمُ‘‘ وَ حَذَّرْتَ الْقَانِطِيْنَ مِنْ رَحْمَتِكَ فَقُلْتَ ’’وَمَنْ يَّقْنَطُ مِنْ رَّحْمَۃِ رَبِّہٖٓ اِلَّا الضَّاۗلُّوْنَ‘‘ ثُمَّ نَدَبْتَنَا بِرَاْفَتِكَ اِلٰى دُعَآئِكَ فَقُلْتَ ’’اُدْعُوْنِيْٓ اَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ۰ۭ اِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ يَسْتَكْبِرُوْنَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِيْ سَيَدْخُلُوْنَ جَہَنَّمَ دٰخِرِيْنَ‘‘ اِلٰهِيْ لَقَدْ كَانَ ذٰلِكَ الْاِيَاسُ عَلَيَّ مُشْتَمِلًا وَ الْقُنُوْطُ مِنْ رَحْمَتِكَ مُلْتَحِفًا. اِلٰهِيْ لَقَدْ وَعَدْتَ الْمُحْسِنَ ظَنَّهٗ بِكَ ثَوَابًا وَ اَوْعَدْتَ الْمُسِيْۗءَ ظَنَّهٗ بِكَ عِقَابًا. اَللّٰهُمَّ وَ قَدْ اَمْسَكَ رَمَقِيْ حُسْنُ الظَّنِّ بِكَ فِيْ عِتْقِ رَقَبَتِيْ مِنَ النَّارِ وَ تَغَمُّدِ زَلَّتِيْ وَ اِقَالَةِ عَثْرَتِيْ. اَللّٰهُمَّ قُلْتَ فِيْ كِتَابِكَ وَ قَوْلُكَ الْـحَقُّ الَّذِيْ لَا خُلْفَ لَهٗ وَ لَا تَبْدِيْلَ ’’يَوْمَ نَدْعُوْا كُلَّ اُنَاسٍؚبِـاِمَامِہِمْ‘‘ وَ ذٰلِكَ يَوْمُ النُّشُوْرِ اِذَا نُفِخَ فِيْ الصُّوْرِ وَ ’’بُعْثِرَ ما فِيْ الْقُبُوْرِ‘‘ اَللّٰهُمَّ فَاِنِّيْ اَوْفٰي وَ اَشْهَدُ وَ اَقِرُّ وَ لَا اُنْكِرُ وَ لَا اَجْـحَدُ وَ اُسِرُّ وَ اُعْلِنُ وَ اُظْهِرُ وَ اُبْطِنُ بِاَنَّكَ اَنْتَ اللهُ لَا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اَنْتَ وَحْدَكَ لَا شَرِيْكَ لَكَ وَ اَنَّ مُـحَمَّدًا عَبْدُكَ وَ رَسُوْلُكَ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ اٰلِہٖ وَ اَنَّ عَلِيًّا اَمِيْرَ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ سَيِّدُ الْاَوْصِيَآءِ وَ وَارِثُ عِلْمِ الْاَنْبِيَآءِ عَلَمُ الدِّيْنِ وَ مُبِيْرُ الْمُشْرِكِيْنَ وَ مُـمَيِّزُ الْمُنَافِقِيْنَ وَ مُـجَاهِدُ الْمَارِقِيْنَ وَ اِمَامِيْ وَ حُـجَّتِيْ وَ عُرْوَتِيْ وَ صِرَاطِيْ وَ دَلِيْلِيْ وَ حُـجَّتِيْ وَ مَنْ لَا اَثِقُ بِاَعْمَالِيْ وَ لَوْ زَكَتْ وَ لَا اَرَاهَا مُنْجِيَةً لِيْ وَ لَوْ صَلُحَتْ اِلَّا بِوِلَايَتِهٖ وَ الْاِئْتِـمَامِ بِهٖ وَ الْاِقْرَارِ بِفَضَآئِلِهٖ وَ الْقَبُوْلِ مِنْ حَمَلَتِهَا وَ التَّسْلِيْمِ لِرُوَاتِهَا وَ اُقِرُّ بِاَوْصِيَآئِهٖ مِنْ اَبْنَآئِهٖ اَئِـمَّةً وَ حُـجَجًا وَ اَدِلَّةً وَ سُرُجًا وَ اَعْلَامًا وَ مَنَارًا وَ سَادَةً وَ اَبْرَارًا وَ اُوْمِنُ بِسِرِّهِمْ وَ جَهْرِهِمْ وَ ظَاهِرِهِمْ وَ بَاطِنِهِمْ وَ شَاهِدِهِمْ وَ غَآئِبِهِمْ وَ حَيِّهِمْ وَ مَيِّتِهِمْ لَا شَكَّ فِيْ ذٰلِكَ وَ لَا ارْتِيَابَ عِنْدَ تَـحَوُّلِكَ وَ لَا انْقِلَابَ. اَللّٰهُمَّ فَادْعُنِيْ يَوْمَ حَشْرِيْ وَ نَشْرِيْ بِاِمَامَتِهِمْ وَ اَنْقِذْنِيْ بِهِمْ يَا مَوْلَايَ مِنْ حَرِّ النِّيْرَانِ وَ اِنْ لَمْ تَرْزُقْنِيْ رُوْحَ الْـجِنَانِ فَاِنَّكَ اِنْ اَعْتَقْتَنِيْ مِنَ النَّارِ كُنْتُ مِنَ الْفَآئِزِيْنَ. اَللّٰهُمَّ وَ قَدْ اَصْبَحْتُ يَوْمِيْ هٰذَا لَا ثِقَةَ لِيْ وَ لَا رَجَآءَ وَ لَا لَـجَاَ وَ لَا مَفْزَعَ وَ لَا مَنْجٰى غَيْرَ مَنْ تَوَسَّلْتُ بِهِمْ اِلَيْكَ مُتَقَرِّبًا اِلٰى رَسُوْلِكَ مُـحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ اٰلِهٖ ثُمَّ عَلِيٍّ اَمِيْرِ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ وَ الزَّهْرَآءِ سَيِّدَةِ نِسَآءِ الْعَالَمِيْنَ وَ الْـحَسَنِ وَ الْـحُسَيْنِ وَ عَلِيٍّ وَ مُـحَمَّدٍ وَ جَعْفَرٍ وَ مُوْسٰى وَ عَلِيٍّ وَ مُـحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلِيٍّ وَ الْـحَسَنِ وَ مَنْ بَعْدَهُمْ يُقِيْمُ الْمَحَجَّةَ اِلَى الْـحُجَّةِ الْمَسْتُوْرَةِ مِنْ وُلْدِهِ الْمَرْجُوِّ لِلْاُمَّةِ مِنْ بَعْدِهٖ. اَللّٰهُمَّ فَاجْعَلْهُمْ فِيْ هٰذَا الْيَوْمِ وَ مَا بَعْدَهٗ حِصْنِيْ مِنَ الْمَكَارِهٖ وَ مَعْقِلِيْ مِنَ الْمَخَاوِفِ وَ نَـجِّنِيْ بِهِمْ مِنْ كُلِّ عَدُوٍّ وَ طَاغٍ وَ بَاغٍ وَ فَاسِقٍ وَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا اَعْرِفُ وَ مَا اُنْكِرُ وَ مَا اسْتَتَرَ عَنِّيْ وَ مَا اَبْصُرُ وَ مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ دَآبَّةٍ رَبِّيْ اٰخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهَا اِنَّكَ عَلٰى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيْمٍ. اَللّٰهُمَّ بِتَوَسُّلِيْ بِهِمْ اِلَيْكَ وَ تَقَرُّبِيْ بِـمَحَبَّتِهِمْ وَ تَـحَصُّنِيْ بِاِمَامَتِهِمْ اِفْتَحْ عَلَيَّ فِيْ هٰذَا الْيَوْمِ اَبْوَابَ رِزْقِكَ وَ انْشُرْ عَلَيَّ رَحْمَتَكَ وَ حَبِّبْنِيْ اِلٰى خَلْقِكَ وَ جَنِّبْنِيْ بُغْضَهُمْ وَ عَدَاوَتَهُمْ اِنَّكَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيْرٌ. اَللّٰهُمَّ وَ لِكُلِّ مُتَوَسِّلٍ ثَوَابٌ وَ لِكُلِّ ذِيْ شَفَآعَةٍ حَقٌّ فَاَسْاَلُكَ بِـمَنْ جَعَلْتُهٗ وَسِيْلَتِيْ اِلَيْكَ وَ قَدَّمْتُهٗ اَمَامَ طَلِبَتِيْ اَنْ تُعَرِّفَنِيْ بَرَكَةَ يَوْمِيْ هٰذَا وَ شَهْرِيْ هٰذَا وَ عَامِيْ هٰذَا. اَللّٰهُمَّ وَ هُمْ مَفْزَعِيْ وَ مَعُوْنَتِيْ فِيْ شِدَّتِيْ وَ رَخَآئِيْ وَ عَافِيَتِيْ وَ بَلَائِيْ وَ نَوْمِيْ وَ يَقَظَتِيْ وَ ظَعْنِيْ وَ اِقَامَتِيْ وَ عُسْرِيْ وَ يُسْرِيْ وَ عَلَانِيَتِيْ وَ سِرِّيْ وَ اِصْبَاحِيْ وَ اِمْسَآئِيْ وَ تَقَلُّبِيْ وَ مَثْوَايَ وَ سِرِّيْ وَ جَهْرِيْ. اَللّٰهُمَّ فَلَا تُـخَيِّبْنِيْ بِهِمْ مِنْ نَآئِلِكَ وَ لَا تَقْطَعْ رَجَآئِيْ مِنْ رَحْمَتِكَ وَ لَا تُؤْيِسْنِيْ مِنْ رُوْحِكَ وَ لَا تَبْتَلِنِيْ بِانْغِلَاقِ اَبْوَابِ الْاَرْزَاقِ وَ انْسِدَادِ مَسَالِكِهَا وَ ارْتِيَاحِ مَذَاهِبِهَا وَ افْتَحْ لِيْ مِنْ لَدُنْكَ فَتْحًا يَسِيْرًا وَ اجْعَلْ لِيْ مِنْ كُلِّ ضَنَكٍ مَـخْرَجًا وَ اِلٰى كُلِّ سِعَةٍ مَنْهَجًا اِنَّكَ اَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِيْنَ وَ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلٰى مُـحَمَّدٍ وَ اٰلِهِ الطَّيِّبِيْنَ الطَّاهِرِيْنَ اٰمِيْنَ رَبَّ الْعَالَمِيْنَ.
Particular I am looking at this part:
O my God! They are my place of flight and my help during my hardship, my ease, my well-being, my tribulation, my sleep, my wakefulness, my departure, my residence, my difficulty, my facility, my openness, my secret, my morning, my evening, my movement, my habitation, my secret, and my apparent! O my God! Through them, disappoint me not of Your favor; cut not my hope from Your mercy; disappoint me not of Your repose; tempt me not with the closure of the doors to provisions and of the ways to them; open for me an easy opening from You; appoint for me a way out from every hardship and a road for every plenty! Surely, You are the Most Compassionate of the compassionate. O my God bless Muhammad and his good and pure Household! Amen, Lord of the worlds!
Which is translation of the following:
اَللّٰهُمَّ وَ هُمْ مَفْزَعِيْ وَ مَعُوْنَتِيْ فِيْ شِدَّتِيْ وَ رَخَآئِيْ وَ عَافِيَتِيْ وَ بَلَائِيْ وَ نَوْمِيْ وَ يَقَظَتِيْ وَ ظَعْنِيْ وَ اِقَامَتِيْ وَ عُسْرِيْ وَ يُسْرِيْ وَ عَلَانِيَتِيْ وَ سِرِّيْ وَ اِصْبَاحِيْ وَ اِمْسَآئِيْ وَ تَقَلُّبِيْ وَ مَثْوَايَ وَ سِرِّيْ وَ جَهْرِيْ. اَللّٰهُمَّ فَلَا تُـخَيِّبْنِيْ بِهِمْ مِنْ نَآئِلِكَ وَ لَا تَقْطَعْ رَجَآئِيْ مِنْ رَحْمَتِكَ وَ لَا تُؤْيِسْنِيْ مِنْ رُوْحِكَ وَ لَا تَبْتَلِنِيْ بِانْغِلَاقِ اَبْوَابِ الْاَرْزَاقِ وَ انْسِدَادِ مَسَالِكِهَا وَ ارْتِيَاحِ مَذَاهِبِهَا وَ افْتَحْ لِيْ مِنْ لَدُنْكَ فَتْحًا يَسِيْرًا وَ اجْعَلْ لِيْ مِنْ كُلِّ ضَنَكٍ مَـخْرَجًا وَ اِلٰى كُلِّ سِعَةٍ مَنْهَجًا اِنَّكَ اَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِيْنَ وَ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلٰى مُـحَمَّدٍ وَ اٰلِهِ الطَّيِّبِيْنَ الطَّاهِرِيْنَ اٰمِيْنَ رَبَّ الْعَالَمِيْنَ.
This is a translation, I have not found Arabic online yet, I might scan it if I don't find it:
O my God bless upon Mohammad and on his daughter and on her two sons and I ask you by them that you help me to your obedience and pleasure, and that you bring me by them to the best bringing that you brought any of your friends indeed you are generous honorable, O my God I ask you the truth of The Commander of the believers Ali son of Talib (a) only that you avenge me by him who oppresses me and attacks me and bothers me and I ask you by that and that you suffice me by him every affair of safety regarding everyone O Most Compassionate of the Compassionate O my God I ask you the truth of your Wali Ali son of Hussain that you suffice me in every safety regarding every Devil outcast and stubborn authority he will strengthen me by his might and he helps me by his army verily you are generous honorable O Giver (without want of payment back) O my God I ask you by your two Walis Mohammad son of Ali and Jaffar son of Mohammad (peace be upon them both) only if you help me by them both concerning my affair in the next world and your pleasure and bring me by them both by which you are pleased indeed you do as you want O my God I ask you by the truth of your Wali Musa son of Jaffar (a), if you give me good health concerning all my bruises/scar what has come in the open and what remains hidden o generous o honorable O my God I ask you by the truth of your Wali that your pleased with Ali son of Musa (a) that you give me peace in all my journeys in the lands and seas and mountains and valleys and plains and surroundings from all that I fear and cautious about indeed you are affectionate compassionate O my God I ask you by the truth of your Wali Mohammad son of Ali (a) that you are generous by him to me by your grace and you are gracious to me by him from your plenty and spread upon me your sustenance and free me of need of other than you and make my needs all towards you and the making them happen all upon you indeed you are capable to do as you wish, O my God I ask you by your Wali Ali son of Mohammad (a) that you help me by him on fulfilling your obligations and good towards my believing brethren and make it easy and make his company to me good, and help me by him on your obedience by grace o compassionate (especially), O my God I ask you by your Wali Hassan son of Ali (a) only that you help me by him concerning my affair in the next by your obedience and pleasure and cover me in my destination and resort by your compassion o most compassionate of the compassionates, O my God I ask you by your Wali and your proof the Master of the time (a) that you help me by him concerning all my affairs and suffice me concerning every enemy and harm and grief and obligation and regarding me and regarding my parents and all my brethren and whoever helps me regarding his authority and my special ones Amen Lord of the Worlds.
In Ziyara-tal-Aimma:
وَأَنْوَارَ ٱلْعَارِفِينَ
"the lights of the knowers (of God)" describing the Imams (a).
In Ziyara-tal-Jamia
إِنْ ذُكِرَ ٱلْخَيْرُ كُنْتُمْ أَوَّلَهُ
in dhukira alkhayru kuntum awwalahu
Whenever goodness is mentioned, you are its initiation,
وَأَصْلَهُ وَفَرْعَهُ
wa aslahu wa far`ahu
origin, branch,
وَمَعْدِنَهُ وَمَأْوَاهُ وَمُنْتَهَاهُ
wa ma`dinahu wa ma'wahu wa muntahahu
essence, center, and ultimate.
This all showing Imams (a) accompany people and are lights on the journey.
Will be putting more resources to this.