Are nasheeds a form of dhikr?

What counts as dhikr

Dhikr is the remembrance of Allah with the words He and His Messenger ﷺ taught: glorifying, praising and declaring His oneness, sending blessings on the Prophet ﷺ, making dua and reading the Quran. The Prophet ﷺ said, "The best remembrance is La ilaha illallah" (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3383).

These words carry specific rewards. Listening to a song about Allah, however beautiful, is a different thing from saying "SubhanAllah" yourself. For the basics, see What is dhikr and how do I start?

Where nasheeds fit

A nasheed is a song or chant with good, often Islamic, lyrics. Poetry with good meaning has a place in Islam:

• While digging the trench around Medina, the Companions chanted lines like "O Allah, there is no life except the life of the Hereafter", and the Prophet ﷺ joined in (Sahih al-Bukhari 2834).
• The poet Hassan ibn Thabit recited poems defending the Prophet ﷺ in the mosque, and the Prophet ﷺ prayed for him (Sahih al-Bukhari 453).

So a nasheed with true, uplifting words can soften your heart, teach you about the Prophet ﷺ, or keep you motivated. If it contains "La ilaha illallah" or salawat and you say those words along with it, you're making dhikr in that moment. But the nasheed as a performance is better seen as permissible entertainment or a reminder, not as worship in itself.

Instruments and other differences

Scholars differ on musical instruments. The majority of the four schools consider most instruments not allowed, while allowing the daff (frame drum) at weddings and celebrations. A minority allow more. Many nasheeds today use voice only or vocal effects, which most scholars accept. See Can I still listen to music after becoming Muslim?

Some scholars also caution against treating singing as a way of worship, since that isn't how the Prophet ﷺ taught dhikr. That's why many advise keeping nasheeds as "halal listening" and doing your dhikr with your own tongue.