Islam kind likewise. As a virtue, forgiveness is much celebrated in Islam, and is regarded as an important Muslim practice. About modesty, Muhammad is reported as saying: ' Every religion has its characteristic, and the characteristic of Islam is modesty'. Mainstream Islamic law does not distinguish between "matters of church" and "matters of state"; the scholars function as both jurists and theologians. Currently no government conforms to Islamic economic jurisprudence, but steps have been taken to implement some of its tenets. Muslim tradition views Muhammad (c. 570 – June 8, 632) as the seal of the prophets. During the last 22
Prophets and messengers in Islam and Malachi were the last prophets, all of whom lived at the end of the 70-year Babylonian exile. With them, the authentic period of "Nevuah" ("prophecy") died, and nowadays only the "Bath Kol" (בת קול, lit. "daughter of a voice", "voice of God") exists (Sanhedrin 11a). In the New Testament, however, the word "messenger" becomes more frequent, sometimes in association with the concept of a prophet. "Messenger" may refer to Jesus, to his Apostles and to John the Baptist. But the last book of the Old Testament, the Book of Malachi, speaks of a messenger that Christian commentators interpret as