Islamic extremism, Islamist extremism or Radical Islam is extremism associated with the religion of Islam. These are controversial terms with varying definitions, ranging from academic understandings to the idea that all ideologies other than Islam have failed and have demonstrated their bankruptcy,[1] as well as political ones like the definition by the government of the United Kingdom which understands Islamic extremism as any form of Islam that opposes "democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs".[2]