The word "Nasheed" is just an Arabic term meaning Islamic songs. Nasheeds aren't just about Allah (swt) and the Prophet (saw), but they cover all sorts of issues concerning the Ummah today.
Nasheeds have been around ever since the time of the Holy Prophet (saw), yes that is 1400 years ago! In total there were 45 Munshideen (Nasheed artists) at the time of the Holy Prophet 
with Hassan ibn Thabit (ra) being the favourite.
The four rightly guided caliphs (Abu Bakr, Umar, Usmaan and Ali (may Allah be pleased with them all)) were also amongst the 45. Two of the most well known Nasheeds amongst the Ummah are "Qasidah Burah" and "Tala Al Badru Alayna".
Here's The Revival's guide to the top Nasheed artists out there today:
Kamal Uddin
What you need to Know…
This talented brother grew up in Manchester and is of the Bangladeshi background. He is not only a Hafiz (by the age of 17!) but also an Imam. He started to compose his own lyrics for his debut album “In the Name of Allah” after being inspired by his Hajj experience. He has Nasheeds in Arabic, Urdu, Bengali and English.
Best Album:
Illalah
Our Favourite Track
It's a hard choice but "His name is Muhammad" is ace!
The Revival Verdict
Excellent! Keep the good work up!
Sami Yusuf
What you need to Know…
Born in Tehran (Iran) but brought up in London, Sami comes from a musical family of the Azeri origin and is now one of the biggest, international Nasheed artists around. Described by Time Magazine as “Islam's Biggest Rock Star” he made his name known in the Nasheed industry with his first album "Al-Mu'allim".
He sings in Arabic, Urdu, English and Turkish and his music offers a great alternative for the youth. He's sung with many other Nasheed stars but we really liked his collaboration with Outlandish on Try Not To Cry.
Best Album:
His debut album "My Ummah" and erm… his follow up too! "Al-Mualim"
Our Favourite Track
A real tough one so we'll go for "Hasbi Rabbi" off "My Ummah" and "Allahu" off "Al-Mualim", but we love them all really!
The Revival Verdict
He's a big hit with Muslims all over the globe… looking forward to his next album!
Native Deen
What you need to Know…
Abdul Malik, Joshua Salaam and Naeem Muhammad from the USA are emerging into one of the leading Islamic hip-hop groups in the world today.
Their sound though isn't identical to mainstream hip-hop coming out of the USA today, they have their own style with some good beats too. They've helped spread the uplifting message of Islam which calls to the remembrance of Allah by performing throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Africa often alongside many other big Nasheed artists.
Best Album:
Their debut, "Deen You Know".
Our Favourite Track
"The upbeat sound of For the Prophets".
The Revival Verdict
They have a good sound and their tracks have some great, simple messages… we'll listen out for their new album which should be out pretty soon.
Dawud Wharnsby-Ali
What you need to Know…
Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist, known to be the best poet of English Language Nasheeds and has worked along side Zain Bhikha, Yusuf Islam and Shaam. You've got it! It's the ever so unique.
Best Album:
Road to Madina
Our Favourite Track
Hmmm… There's such a vast variety to choose from, I say "The Veil". One for the Muslimahs!
The Revival Verdict
Maasha'Allah, brother Dawud is a truly inspirational figure and is loved by many. We think he is great!
Seven8Six
What you need to Know…
Hailing from the USA, Shahaab, Zafar, Saad, Omar and Saeed are 5 guys who are comfortable with their Muslim and Western identities and utilise both cultural influences in their songs. However, they're very often criticised by many, coz of their similarities to Western popstars, what with their boy band looks and sound, coordinated stage outfits and largely female fan-base.
Their sound is a mix of song and rap with a bit of beat box here and there too.
Best Album:
Their last release, "Straight Path".
Our Favourite Track
"Allahu" ain't bad and neither is "Haazir Hain Hum" with its urdu lyrics.
The Revival Verdict
It depends what you like - a lot of their tracks have that distinct "boyband" sound to them, which most people either really like or hate.
Zain Bhikha
What you need to Know…
Coming from South Africa, Zain Bhikha made his name known in the UK when he was invited by Yusuf Islam to work alongside him. He's one of the oldest and most loved Nasheed artists by Muslims all across the world.
Best Album:
"Mountains of Makkah" which takes you on the journey to the House of God.
Our Favourite Track
"Mountains of Makkah".
The Revival Verdict
Zain's one of our favourite nasheed artist, he's released some top albums which feature other great nasheed artists. We wish him all the best!
Aa'shiq-al-Rasul
What you need to Know…
All hailing from Birmingham, Amran, Sheraz, Kamran, Tahir and Usman came together to form Aa'shiq-al-Rasul meaning Lovers of the Prophet in 1998. All classically trained, they perform a mixture of traditional Nasheeds and spiritually uplifting songs in Arabic, Urdu and English.
Best Album:
Having been voted by Q-News as one of the best Nasheed albums of 2005 it has to be "The Sultan of Madinah".
Our Favourite Track
Jewel of Creation
The Revival Verdict
More traditional than modern and sing great nasheeds… not everyone's cup of tea but great at what they do.
Yusuf Islam
What you need to Know…
Formerly known as Cat Stevens the huge-selling pop singer of the 60's and 70's, he converted to Islam in 1977. After a 28 year break from the music industry, he's picked up his guitar again and is back with his smooth, mellow sound. His first release as a Muslim "An Other Cup" was a hit worldwide proving his appeal isn't just limited to Muslims.
So is he Islam's answer to Cliff Richard? Noooo!! Well we haven't yet spotted Yusuf at Wimbledon and it certainly ain't fashionable to dislike him, which is great coz we think he's an all round top guy.
Best Album:
It has to be his comeback album "An Other Cup".
Our Favourite Track
I think it should be: The chilled out sound of Heaven/Where True Love Goes – his hugely popular first single off "An Other Cup".
The Revival Verdict
He's been around in the music industry for a long time so he knows his stuf. Not only a huge hit with the Ummah, but respected and recognised worldwide by non-Muslims too – we think he's great!
New kid on the block
Newly into the scene Hamza Robertson is from Greater Manchester and is already hitting the big times. He recently performed at the Sami Yusuf concert in Wembley 07 and has just released his first album "Something About Life".
Hamza aims to give dawah through producing songs with a positive message. He feels that too many people know too little about Islam and the beauty of its essential values. So girls and boys; you better watch this space, we have a new talent on the streets.
The Star of the show
Yes, everyone has a favourite and The Revival's favourite is Sami Yusuf! He's released his latest video "Assmau-Allah" which we think is absolutely fantastic! So keep a look out if you wanna get your hands on that album!
So there you have it, The Revival's guide to Nasheeds. Something for everyone, so get hooked on the Islamic alternative to music and songs. All albums can be purchased at your nearest Islamic book shop.
Comments
[b]SALAAMZ
My fav naath khawan is Muhammed Milad Raza Qadri, i lurve his voice and his only 18, mashaAllah kep up the gud work Milaad!!!
his gne to Umrah nw!!
All of his albums of wikd so i cant say i have a favourite!!
Wa Salaam.[/b]
What's my favourite Nasheed?
Don't Talk to Me about Muhammad- Dawud Wharnsby
Look into My Eyes- Outlandish
Stand Alone- Native Deen
Mountains of Mecca- Zain Bikha
Chin up, mate! Life's too short.
I hope I am right in saying this, that Nasheeds which contain musical instruments such as the piano, guitar, drums, etc, (with an exception to the duff) are not allowed. Then why are we falling into the category of listening to "musical instruments" with the excuse that it is only a Nasheed?
Jan: I understand what your saying and also agree with the points made, in that we often do make excuses when it comes to songs such as those made by groups like outlandish, because it relates to us as Muslims and also to other aspects of the Deen.
Not so much an Islamic Nasheed as it is a pop song with refrence to Islam
Organic
Most scholars believe that only percussion istruments (duff instruments) like drums are allowed. Some scholars believe that all instruments are allowed, it's the lyrics that matter, while others believe than no instruments are halal. Some even believe it's OK to listen to haram lyrics for leisure, so long as we're not influenced, which has a very low credibility, to be honest.
But my advice would be to try and prefer the percussion nasheeds over the ones with other instruments. I know Look into my Eyes- Outlandish has a percussion version, so maybe it's better to listen to that instead.
Chin up, mate! Life's too short.
...or we could just get over ourselves and worry about something that is actually a real problem.
Don't just do something! Stand there.
I think the best artists are yusuf islam and zain bhika - those are my two fav's..
one of zain's bests is prob
http://www.mynasheeds.com/listen/EzrlnxPv/15/yusuf-islam-say-he-is-allah...
very powerful!
A daff could be regarded as a percussion instrument (if you wish) however percussion instruments in general are not daffs.
(Reknowned jurist) Al-Imaam Al-Awzaa'ee said, "Do not attend a marriage ceremony in which there is drum beating and stringed instruments
From this statement we can see that drums are 'on the same level' as stringed instruments, i.e. haraam to play/ listen to.
No recognized jurists or even scholars permit the playing/listening of instruments and whether or not you focus more on the lyrics you can still hear the music being played and listening to music is haraam.
Music is prohibited and condemned by many Qur'anic verses. Allah says,
"And of mankind is he who purchases idle talks (i.e. Music, singing etc.) to mislead men from the path of Allah without knowledge and takes it (the path of Allah, or the verses of the Qur'an) by way of mockery. For such there will be humiliating torment (in the Hell-fire)." (Luqmaan 31: 6)
The Prophet said while commenting on this verse, "It is not permissible to sell singing girls nor to buy them, nor to trade in them. Their price is haraam. This verse was revealed regarding that." (At-Tabaraanee)
Abdullah ibn Mas'ood also commented on this verse when he said, "By Him beside whom no deity is worthy of worship! That (verse refers to) music,"
Aboo Maalik Al-Ash'aree narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, "There will be a group of people among my nation who will drink alcohol calling it by other names and upon their heads stringed instruments will be played and in their presence songstresses will sing, Allah will cause the earth to swallow them and He will turn them into monkeys and pigs."
`Imraan narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, "In this nation there will be humiliation, corruption and slander. The companions asked, "When will that happen O Messenger of Allah?" He said, "When songstresses and stringed instruments appear and when alcohol is consumed." (At-Tirmidhee)
The sense of hearing is a great trust and a huge favour from Allah. He has commanded His slaves to preserve this sense and tells them that they will be held responsible for it. Therefore, using this sense to listen to music and stringed instruments amounts to abuse of this favour. Aboo Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet said, "The fornication of the tongue is uttering immoral utterances, fornication of the hands is touching and fornication of the feet is walking (unto what is forbidden). The heart desires and wishes but it is the private parts that confirms or denies them." (Muslim)
Fellow Muslims! Extolling music and stringed instruments and regarding musicians as leaders of society means calling people unto error and driving them away from the book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet. The Prophet said, "Whoever calls unto an error will have the sin equal to that of those who follow him without deducting anything of their own sins." (Muslim)
Hadhrat Ali (Radhiallaahu Ánhu) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) prohibited the beating of drums. (Kanzul Ummaal)
The Kubah (drum) is Haraam. (Bayhaqi; Musnad Bazzar)
These Ahaadith are general and prohibit the beating of the drum. Those who claim that the beating of drums is permissible generally use the Hadith wherein it is reported that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, ‘Announce the Nikah even though it be with the Duff.’ (Mishkat)
n the light of the above, it is not permissible to hear Islamic songs having the sound of beating drums in the background.
HOW CAN WE ASSOCIATE/ASCRIBE/JOIN SOMETHING AS VILE AND DESPISED AS MUSIC WITH THE REMEMBERANCE/WORSHIP OF ALLAH
MY BELOVED BROTHERS, LET US DESIST FROM LISTENING TO/PLAYING MUSIC AND ALL OTHER HARAAM ACTS FOR THE PLEASURE OF OUR ALMIGHTY LORD
MAY ALLAH REWARD US INSHA'ALLAH
Not so simple - the evidences used to ban singing and musical instruments have been classified by scholars as weak, or have been interpreted in ways that may not have been the original meaning.
On the other hand evidences which allow musical instruments are strong and without doubt.
It is strange that in the modern day groups of people who generally reject ahadith without the strongest chains of narration on some occasions reject the stronger evidences when it comes to support their positions.
The stronger more sahih opinion is that musical instruments are allowed. Moreover, when on a matter where there is ikhtilaaf - where there are two differing opinions, the method of the salf saliheen, the early Muslims, was to ALLOW both and not to condemn the approach not favoured by the individual.
An analysis by Yusuf Al Qaradawi on the evidence regarding to music.
(I had a less... belligerent post here but firefox ate it.)
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
i like kamal uddin saw him live at GPU really nice performance.
The brother mentioning the hadiths and the Quran verse that says music is haram is correct.
It is actual proof, Allah has told the prophet, and says so in the Quran: MUSIC IS HARAM
To refer to Sheikh Qaradawi as an authentic source of opinion is a mistake.
All 4 schools of thoughts prohibits Music as well.
Read below for more information on Qaradawi:
http://islamicweb.com/beliefs/misguided/qaradawi.htm
Qaradawi
I say just shutup because you have vocal strings that plays when you speack
Here is the thing - unlike you, he actually quotes the qur'an and the hadith to show why he thinks it is allowed.
You don't, but make a statement "it is haraam... it is haraam because I say it says so in the qur'an!". Which it may very well do, but if it does, the onus is on you to provide the evidence for it.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
Maher Zain has got to be there too! He is the fastest emerging nasheed singer with his debut album "Thank you Allah" (2009) being a huge success. Do check him out on youtube.
Although this person is NOT in the list- This Artist seems to have emerged out of nowhere in 2012. His name is Adam Ali,, Ive pasted two of his nasheeds below.
He is AWESOME! Mashallah what a voice!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyVAOPQP3bI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBHkimNF8s0
Great article. There seems to be more and more nasheed artists emerging each year. The lyrics are often deep and contain many links to the Quran. I’ve started a website where I show the link between modern nasheeds and Quran: https://islamicmusichub.com