Are nasheeds allowed in Islam?

Yes, in general. Nasheeds with clean, truthful lyrics are widely accepted, especially when sung with the voice alone or with a simple hand drum. Scholars differ over nasheeds that use musical instruments, and the lyrics matter most of all.

What is a nasheed?

A nasheed (plural anasheed) is a song or chant in praise of Allah, the Prophet ﷺ or good values such as patience and gratitude. Many are sung a cappella, while some have light percussion or modern production. They are popular at Eid, weddings, in Ramadan and with children.

Good poetry has always been welcome

Islam does not oppose poetry or singing as such. It judges the content. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Some poetry contains wisdom" (Sahih al-Bukhari 6145). He also said that the truest word spoken by a poet is the line "Behold! apart from Allah everything is vain" (Sahih Muslim 2256).

The poet Hassan ibn Thabit recited verses in the mosque, and the Prophet ﷺ prayed that Allah would support him with the Holy Spirit (Sahih al-Bukhari 3212). And on a night journey to Khaybar, a Companion who was a poet recited verses to keep pace with the camels, in the Prophet's company (Sahih al-Bukhari 4196). So a chant with good meaning has a clear precedent.

With or without instruments?

Voice only: accepted by nearly all scholars, as long as the content is good.
With a daf (frame drum) or simple percussion: accepted by many, because the daf is the one instrument most scholars allow on occasions such as weddings and Eid.
With full musical instruments or heavy electronic music: scholars differ. Most classical scholars would avoid it, while others allow it if the music is clean. Follow the view of a scholar you trust.

The wider difference over instruments is explained in the music articles. See Can I play an instrument as a Muslim?

How to judge the lyrics

Is it true? It should not praise a person in ways that belong only to Allah or ask anyone but Allah for help.
Is it clean? Avoid lyrics about romance in an immodest way, alcohol, violence or hate.
Does it help you? A good nasheed reminds you of Allah, improves your manners or lifts your mood. If it only fills your time, it is a weaker choice.
Is the delivery appropriate? Some scholars advise caution with any singing that is soft or sensual in a way that could stir temptation, while others have no objection when there is none.
Does it replace worship? A nasheed can't replace prayer, Quran or dhikr.

Nasheeds are often compared with dhikr, but they are not the same thing. See Are nasheeds a form of dhikr?

What about nasheeds in videos and for children?

Voice-only nasheeds are a popular alternative to background music for children and for Islamic videos. If you're weighing up what to use, see Can I put music behind Islamic videos? And if you are choosing between nasheeds and mainstream music, see Can I still listen to music after becoming Muslim?

Key points

Nasheeds with good lyrics are generally allowed (Sahih al-Bukhari 6145).
Voice-only and daf nasheeds are widely accepted.
Scholars differ on nasheeds with musical instruments.
Judge the lyrics: truthful, clean and beneficial.

Tip: Look up the lyrics before you add a nasheed to a playlist. A quick read tells you straight away whether it is something you want in your head all day.