Can he open a shop to repair audio-visual equipment?

This audio-visual equipment may be used for permissible purposes or it may be used for haraam purposes, such as looking at pictures of naked women or listening to music etc. 

Hence it is not permissible to repair it for one whom it is known or thought most likely that he will use it for haraam purposes, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Severe in punishment”

[al-Maa’idah 5:2]

The Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas was asked: I work as an electronic engineer and part of my work is fixing radios, TVs, videos and other such equipment. I hope that you can advise me about continuing in this work, knowing that giving up this work will cause me to miss out on a great deal of experience and my profession for which I have studied all my life, and I will be affected by giving it up. 

They replied: The shar’i evidence from the Qur’aan and Sunnah indicates that the Muslim must seek to earn a living from good (halaal) sources, so you should look for a job where the income from it is good. As for earning a living by doing the work that you mentioned, this is not good, because this equipment is usually used for haraam purposes. End quote. 

Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (14/420). 

Based on this, if you can choose the people for whom you will repair this equipment, so that this will not be helping them in anything haraam, there is nothing wrong with that. But if you will be repairing equipment for everyone who comes to you, that is not permissible because most people use these machines for haraam purposes. 

You should look for another job in which you will be safe from falling into haraam or doubtful areas. The one who gives up something for the sake of Allah, Allah will compensate him with something better than it. Provision is already decreed, so do not let the fact that it is slow in coming make you seek it by disobeying Allah, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The Holy Spirit (i.e. Jibreel) inspired to me that no soul will die until it has been given its provision in full. Fear Allah and be moderate in seeking a living, and do not let the fact that it is slow in coming make you seek it by disobeying Allah, for that which is with Allah cannot be attained except by obeying Him.”  Narrated by Abu Na’eem in al-Hilyah; classed as saheeh by al-Albani in Saheeh al-Jaami’ no. 2085. 

And Allah knows best.