As early as the 11th and 12th centuries, Arabian and Indian traders brought Islam to Southeast Asia via business contacts. The new religion was later mixed with local beliefs and customs. In Vietnam, its emergence coincided with the decline of the Chiem Thanh Dynasty in the 15th century. However, according to the Chinese Song historians, the religion was present in Vietnam during the turn of the 10th to the 11th century. In Vietnam, Islam is practiced mostly by the Cham people, who concentrate in Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, Angiang, HoChiMinh City, Tay Ninh, Dong Nai and some in Hanoi capital.

            The population of Vietnamese Muslim's today is about 100, 000 habitants, which 95% percents are Cham people. The Muslims in Vietnam are Sunni Muslims, following the Shafii' madh-hab (school of thought). The Vietnamese Muslims are mostly living in the villages. Muslim men wear batik lungi (shuka in Kiswahili) tied in a knot at the waist, whether in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam or in Jakarta, Indonesia, but while the black cap is popular in Indonesia, the Muslims of Vietnam wear white caps like Muslims in other places and these are called kapea (recollection: kofea in Swahili).

            The Vietnamese Muslim officially used the Original Qur'an in Arabic language, and the Vietnamese - Arabic Qur'anic Qur'anic Translation. A few of them are translated in English, Melayu and French. RELIGIOUS BOOKS Book of the Islam religion were ready - compiled in Vietnamese, Cham, Melayu and Arabic language. A great number of them were published in Vietnam, Malaysia, Saudi Ariabia, French and United State of America. HAJ Prior to 1975, the Vietnamese Muslim approximately 100 persons went yearly on pilgrimage in Mecca. Today, the number of Vietnamese Muslim went yearly to Mecca is increasing. FUNDAMENTAL EDUCATION The Islamic Educational System is poor of organizing. The fundamental education is taught to the Muslim in the Maddarasah, which is located in the Mosque, sometimes in the Surau (Musallat) or in a store. HIGH RANKING EDUCATION In 1920, there were a number of Muslims who had gone abroad by self-sufficiency to study in Saudi Arabi, Pakistan, and Malaysia. Today, with the assistance of World Muslims Association, the Vietnamese Muslim students go yearly to study in Saudi Arabi, Sudan, Yemen and Malaysia (IIUM).

            The community of Vietnamese Muslim does not do great commerce. Almost of there are doing retail, fishing, agriculture and a few of them are working in local and foreign companies. ORGANIZATION The community of Muslim is officially recognized and authorized to establish an Organization named "Representative Board of the Islamic Community in Ho Chi Minh City". However, mostly in the Muslim villages are leading by Hakim.

            The Cham follow Islam and Brahmanism. Brahmanism's doctrines draw about three-fifths of the Cham population in Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan Provinces. Matriarchy still exists in Cham society as daughters carry the family name of their mothers. A woman's family marries the groom for their daughter. After marriage, the groom comes to live with his wife's household. The right of inheritance is reserved for daughters only. The youngest daughter, however, must care for her aging parents.

           The Cham language belongs to the Malayo-Polynesian Group. These people enjoy singing and dancing. Cham dances are well-known through the nation.

           Most of the Cham people in An Giang  are  Muslims, so they celebrate annual festivals in local mosques according to the Islamic calendar. Among great festivals is Ramadan, when a large number of vegetarian Muslims gather in the mosques for praying.

           According to the Islamic calendar, Ramadan, also called Holly Month of Ramadan, lasts from 1 to 30 September. Called “Planoh” in Cham, which means the “fasting month”, Ramadan is the time for Muslims’ self-criticism, repentance, and self-correction.

          Vietnamese Islam maintains close relationship with world Islam,especially with Malaysian Islam. In addition, it also has contacts with the Islamic communities of Indonesia, Cambodia and Thailand. This relationship has become an issue on the agenda since Vietnam joined ASEAN because this is one of the regions inhabited by the largest number of Muslims in the world (particularly, Indonesia).

         At the 6th Communist Party of Vietnam Congress (1986) the policy on Islam was designed. It allows Masjids to teach Islamic dogmas.At present, there is the Islam Representative Committee based in Sàigòn, which sends Muslims to Koran-reading contests and pilgrims to Mecca. However, there are pending issues in the implementation of the policy on Islam concerning the State management thereof. Islamic Churches are yet to gain a legal status to establish contacts with the regional countries. Regarding the religious rules, rites, and the repair of Masjids and publishing of scriptures, there is no problem. But there should be a nation-wide unified and concerted solution thereto.

           The Vietnamese State is making necessary preparations for publishing the Koran (Quran) in Vietnamese.

           Vietnamese Muslims are allowed to take part in pilgrimages to Mecca, regional Koran-reading contests, international conferences on Islam, and training courses at foreign Islamic Universities. Foreign Muslims have the right to visit the Islamic places of worship in Vietnam.