In 1995, President Ruslan Aushev founded Magas just a few kilometers south of Nazran, naming it after the medieval city of Maghas.

The Chinese transcription Muzashan uses the characters for wood (mu, 木) and mountain (shan, 山), which John Latham-Sprinkle interprets as a possible reference to the city's location in rough terrain.

Magas is located in the western area of Ingushetia, at the borders with Prigorodny Raion of North Ossetia-Alania.

It is surrounded by Nazranovsky Raion, and the nearest settlements are Ekazhevo, the city of Nazran, and Ali-Yurt.

[2][14] Magas Airport serves the town and the nearby city of Nazran, which is home to the nearest train station.