Noman bin Bashir narrates that after a visit to Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (as) in Medina he was on his way back to Kufa along with Jabir bin Yazid Jaufi and other persons. On the way they noticed a very tall person approaching them from the opposite direction. The person gave a letter to Jabir having a very fresh seal on it. Jabir kissed the letter, put it to his eyes, opened and read it.
On reading the letter, Jabir had a very sad expression on his face. After reaching Koofa, I went to Jabir’s place one day. I found him running around on the streets, riding on a bamboo stick along with urchins, shouting that Mansoor has become the emir of Koofa. Jabir looked at me, but he didn’t greet or talk to me. He recited a few couplets of poetry and continued pranking with the urchins. People expressed their sorrow that Jabir had gone mad.
After a few days Hisham bin Abdul Malik’s orders came to the chief of Koofa to execute Jabir and send his head to him.
The chief of Koofa asked the people to identify Jabir for him. The people said, “Jabir is a reputed scholar, narrator of traditions and has performed the Haj several times over. But presently he has lost his mental balance and has gone mad!”
The chief of Kooka said, “Alhamd u Lillah! It is not obligatory for me to execute him now!”
A few days after the event, Mansoor was appointed chief of the city of Koofa and Jabir’s prediction was proved true.