the Koran and suicide bombing

[mek42]

I recently read a novel and wanted to check if something in it has any basis in reality.

The novel stated that when Saddam invaded Iran back in the '80s, the Ayatollah in charge of Iran made, essentially, a papal decree that suicide (expressly prohibited in the Koran) bombing was a legitimate way to combat the enemy and got this whole martyr thing started.

Any truth to this?

[De Selby]

I recently read a novel and wanted to check if something in it has any basis in reality.

The novel stated that when Saddam invaded Iran back in the '80s, the Ayatollah in charge of Iran made, essentially, a papal decree that suicide (expressly prohibited in the Koran) bombing was a legitimate way to combat the enemy and got this whole martyr thing started.

Any truth to this?

From what I've seen, yes, somewhat true.