1) Revelation was written by John in Apocalyptic literary style. John used primarily OT symbols which his audience (the 7 churches of Asia Minor) would understand but that the Romans would not understand.
I would have to respectfully disagree on this and the reason for this is as follows:
"Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later." (Rev.1:19)
None of Revelation is written with John's flavor or by his own accord or imagination. He was not referring back to the OT regarding anything he wrote, but he did what the Lord said, and that was to write down what had seen, what is now and what will take place later. The reason that John used the symbolism of Beast, Empire, Dragon, Sea, Horns, etc., is because that is how God presented the visions to him and therefore, John wrote down exactly what he saw in those visions.
2) That the identity of Mystery Babylon is ISLAM. Mystery Babylon is the Mother of all False Religions.
* The seven heads you saw are seven hills upon which the woman sits
* The woman you saw is that great "city" that rules over the kings of the earth.
So, the woman, Mystery Babylon, is a city that ruled over the kings of the earth and sits on seven hills. Islam is not a city and at the time that John was receiving the information from the angel, Rome was that city that was ruling over the kings of the earth and was literally built on and is famous for, her seven hills. That being said, Islam does not fit any of the criteria describing the woman.
It is stated that the kings of the earth will commit adultery with the woman and the inhabitants of the earth will be intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries. This is of course speaking of spiritual adultery, which figuratively means, "to be unfaithful to Christ, while
posing as His true follower". The kings of the earth and its inhabitants will be partaking with the woman in her pagan beliefs and practices and even more so when she becomes that last day religious system under the beast with the one of the future pope's playing the part of the false prophet. Islam is not proclaiming to be in Christ, but Rome with her pagan system is proclaiming to be the true church of Christ, while at the same time being the mother of all paganism, beginning with that obelisk that sits out in St.Peter's square, Mary worship, mother and son worship, the Eucharist, Sacraments, Purgatory, and so much more.
"The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet:
She was glittering with gold:
Rome with her Mystery Babylon pagan system is the woman who is in view as the woman who rides the beast, the mother of all prostitutes, for she meets all of the criteria found in Revelation. For everything about her religious system is opposed to the truth of God's word. She is Paganism wearing Christian clothing and that is all.