Traditionally, Islamic music has been limited to the human voice and percussion (drum). But within these constraints, Muslim artists have been both modern and creative. Relying on the beauty and harmony of their God-given voices, Muslims use music to remind people of Allah, His signs, and His teachings to man. In Arabic, these types of songs are known as nasheed. Here are some of the top modern Muslim nasheed artists today:
Yusuf Islam
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Formerly known as Cat Stevens, Yusuf had a successful pop music career before embracing Islam in the late 1970's. He then took an hiatus from performing live, and focused on educational and philanthropic projects. In 1995, Yusuf returned to the recording studio to begin making a series of albums about the Prophet Muhammad and other Islamic themes.
Sami Yusuf
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Sami Yusuf is a British composer/singer/musician of Azerbaijani origin. Born into a musical family, Sami studied music at several institutions and plays several instruments. Sami Yusuf is one of the few popular Islamic nasheed artists who sings with extensive musical accompaniment and makes music videos aired throughout the Muslim world, causing some devout Muslims to shy away from his work.
