Islamic education system in the state of Johor Darul Ta’zim began in 1923. It continues to grow until now through the Johor state government religious school. Then a more systematic system of religious education at the primary level was introduced through the establishment of the Integrated Religious Primary School (SRAB).

Subsequently, religious education at the secondary level was also developed and expanded. It can be said that the religious education system in the state of Johor both at the primary and secondary levels has been well established and has successfully produced qualified students to pursue higher education. To meet the demand of high school graduates to pursue higher education, MARSAH has been established as a continuation and complement to the Islamic religious education system in the state of Johor.

The early history of the College of Islamic Studies Johor (MARSAH) as a center of Islamic and Arabic language higher education existed in 1997 when the Johor Islamic Religious Council decided to further improve the standard of study at Maahad Johor to Islamic higher education by maintaining the position of Maahad Johor as a high school and MARSAH as IPT.

On 17 June 1997 a memorandum of understanding in the academic and cultural field between the Johor Islamic Religious Council and Al-Azhar University was signed to enable this school to be established to handle the programs and courses of Al-Isasami Al-Islamiah Wa Al-Arabiah University Al University -Azhar in MARSAH.

On 4 November 1997, MARSAH started a course in Islamic Shariah studies with a total of 42 students at the Maahad Johor building. On 5 July 2000 MARSAH received recognition from Al-Azhar University for studying Diploma in Islamic Shariah and Usuluddin.