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Based on the fact that yeast converts carbohydrates (sugars) in dough into alcohol and carbon dioxide, and that the amount of carbohydrates in a cup of flour (approximately 95 grams) is more than double the amount in grape juice, which makes the alcohol formed in the dough before baking reach an intoxicating concentration, is adding yeast to dough considered the production of forbidden intoxicants, and thus, is the resulting bread unlawful?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The use of leavening agents in dough is not a recent innovation; rather, it is ancient and well-known. It is mentioned in hadith and language books that "al-khamir" (leavened bread) is bread that has been leavened and had yeast added to it. Scholars, such as Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen, have permitted the use of yeast in dough because it does not intoxicate. The default ruling for all edibles is permissibility unless there is evidence to the contrary, based on the Almighty's saying: "It is He who created for you all that is on earth." It should also be noted that not everything called alcohol is intoxicating; there are various types of alcohol, some of which are not intoxicating, such as the alcohol found in orange peel.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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