The Islamic Social Welfare Association was formed in 1996 to seek solutions for the social problems amongst Muslims and its negative effects on society. Miss Gadija Fredericks and Mrs Nurounihaar Mintin co-ordinated a meeting with the Muslim Judicial Council where Imams, Social Workers and Community Workers, all voiced their concerns and attempted to start a structure to address these concerns.

There was an unanimous appeal for a professional social work agency that would use a model that integrated social science with in the Islamic framework. The meeting resulted in nine Muslims fully committing themselves to the establishment of such a structure.

The primarily aim of this structure was to address marital problems. This was to be achieved through pre-marital counselling, providing a treatment for marriages under stress and providing post divorce guidance for couples (especially women) who were left destitute. The overwhelming need for proper social services in all areas of social disfunctioning let ISWA to broaden its vision to include other counselling as well.