This paper is trying to review the accounting treatment for zakat. Few articles and books have been written on this topic (e.g. Al-Moghaiwli 2001; Mursyidi, 2003, Sulaiman, 2003, Abdul Rahman, 2007 to mention but few). Further, several accounting standards and guidelines have been promulgated and developed on this issue, including the Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) No. 9 by the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Financial Islamic Institutions (AAOIFI), the Technical Release i-1 (TR i-1) on “Accounting for Zakat on Business” and the Financial Reporting Standard (FRS i-1) by the Malaysian Accounting Standard Board. This paper attempts to first, review those articles and accounting standards. Next, a theoretical examination from both religious as well as from accounting theory perspectives would be done. Some analysis on the practices of Islamic banks and financial institutions will be also carried out to ensure their compliance with both standards promulgated and ontological aspects of zakat. It is expected that the paper may offer and contribute an alternative view to enrich and improve the accounting treatment for zakat. In turn, it is hoped that this will positively contribute towards a better collection and disbursement of the zakat system, for Islamic commercial institutions in particular as well as for other business organizations in general.