Origins of Islam and the Hidden connections to Judaism | Reuven Firestone | MythVision

Who is Reuven Firestone?
Reuven Firestone is the Regenstein Professor in Medieval Judaism and Islam at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. Firestone earned his B.A. at Antioch College and was awarded the PhD in Arabic and Islamic studies by New York University in 1988.

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Who is MythVision?
MythVision Podcast (MVP) brings you some of the finest information surrounding Mythology. Knowledge from a variety of people in search of a better understanding of ancient text. We discuss mythology, syncretism, astrotheology, gematria, sacred geometry, secret societies, ancient languages, history, prophecy, scholarship, conspiracies, heretical ideas, myth interpretations and much more.

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What is Judaism?
Judaism encompasses the religion, philosophy, culture and way of life of the Jewish people. Judaism is a monotheistic religion, with the Torah as its foundational text (part of the larger text known as the Tanakh or Hebrew Bible), and supplemental oral tradition represented by later texts such as the Midrash and the Talmud. Judaism is considered by religious Jews to be the expression of the covenantal relationship that God established with the Children of Israel. Judaism includes a wide corpus of texts, practices, theological positions, and forms of organization. Within Judaism there are a variety of movements, most of which emerged from Rabbinic Judaism, which holds that God revealed his laws and commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai in the form of both the Written and Oral Torah. The Jews are an ethnoreligious group and include those born Jewish and converts to Judaism. In 2012, the world Jewish population was estimated at about 14 million, or roughly 0.2% of the total world population. About 42% of all Jews reside in Israel and about 42% reside in the United States and Canada, with most of the remainder living in Europe.

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What is Islam?
One of the major religions of the world, Islam literally translates to "submission," as a follower of Islam (Muslims) devotes their life to that of their God. The religion began with the teachings of Muhammad in the 7th century. The theology of Islam is based on the Qur'an, which was given to Muhammad by God. Some of the major fundamental principles of Islam include the Five Pillars, which hope to unite all Muslims into a community. Two different factions of Muslims exist - the majority are known as Sunni, with a small percentage known as Shi'a - both predominantly reside throughout the Middle East. Muhammad died in 632 AD and the religion of Islam formally started after his death. The Quran was formally compiled and finalised in 650 AD, prior to which it was 'memorised' and written across many parchments.

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Who are ONS?
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is the official national statistical institute of the United Kingdom.

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