Islam in China has a rich heritage. The Muslim history in China dates ack to as early as 650, when the first envoy was sent by the Islamic prophet Muhammad to Emperor Gaozong. The first major Muslim settlements in China consisted of Arab and Persian merchants. In China, Islam influenced many parts of Chinese culture. Mosques in western China incorporate the elements seen in mosques in other parts of the world while eastern Chinese mosques were more likely to look like pagodas.

Muslims believe that God revealed the Qur'an to Muhammad, God's final prophet, and regard the Qur'an and the Sunnah (words and deeds of Muhammad) as the fundamental sources of Islam. Muslims live in every region of China. The highest concentrations are found in northwest provinces of Xinjiang, Gansu, and Ningxia, as well as Yunnan Province in southwest China and Henan Province in central China. Due to the large Muslim population in western China, many Chinese restaurants cater to Muslims or cater to the general public but are run by Muslims. In most major cities in China, there are small Islamic restaurants or food stalls typically run by migrants from western China.