There are different theories and ideas about the reasons for the decline and fall of each civilization. In view of the Holy Quran, the main factor that leads to the decline of a nation and civilization is deviation from the path of the truth.
The Quran mentions a number of reasons for the fall of nations and civilizations, including the following:
1- Injustice and Oppression: Injustice in Quranic terms refers to any deviation from the truth and trampling on others’ rights. There can be three kinds of injustice: injustice to oneself, to others and to God. Each of them would be enough to cause the fall of a society or civilization.
2- Rejection of Prophets: Rejecting divine messengers is among common causes of the decline of societies in history. Nations like Aad and Thamud and those who rejected Prophet Nuh are among the ones that ceased to exist because they disobeyed messengers of God.
3- Lack of attention to Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice: Continuation of a society depends on inviting to the truth and moral values and fighting corruption and vices. In view of the Quran, the best nations are those who constantly work to improve and reform their conduct and invite others to the truth.
4- Committing sins and moral corruption: Moral deviation is a prelude to social and political decline and causes the fall of civilizations. A society can continue to thrive if it act in accordance with moral values. Otherwise it will have no other destiny but decline and collapse. The fate of the people of Lut is an example of this. They disobeyed God and violated moral standards and, thus, were punished by God and their deviation led to their destruction.
5- Idolizing the world and being self-indulgent: The Holy Quran warns against idolizing the world and self-indulgence and says if a society walks on that path, its decline will be certain. According to the Quran, going on such a path causes a one not to understand and enjoy spirituality.
6- Haughtiness and seeking dominance: A society that is haughty and seeks dominance cannot distinguish between the truth and falsehood and does not remember God at times of triumph and defeat.
7- Ungratefulness: One of the reasons leading a society to decline is being ungrateful to God and not thanking Him for all the blessings He has given humans. An example of a people who went on this path is the Bani Israel.
8- Economic corruption: Fraud and deception in economic interactions and trade are among the factors that undermine the foundations of a society and lead it to decline.
9- Discord and disputes: In some verses of the Quran, disputes and discord have been mentioned in parallel with polytheism. In these verses, God warns Muslims not to become part of the Mushriks (polytheists) by creating divisions and fomenting discord in the society because it would cause the decline of the society.
source:iqna