Ruling on fixing TVs and VCRs

Question

Praise be to Allah.

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Help you one another in
Al‑Birr and At‑Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one
another in sin and transgression”

[al-Maa’idah 5:2]

What you are doing by fixing TVs, VCRs and satellite dishes
which are then used by their owners to listen to and watch haraam things is
a kind of helping in sin. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “Whoever calls people to right guidance will have a reward
like that of those who follow him, without it detracting from his reward in
the slightest. And whoever calls people to misguidance will have a burden of
sin like that of those who followed him without that detracting from their
sin in the slightest.” Narrated by Muslim, 2674.

So it is not permissible for you to do this work and it is
better for you to look for other work. Remember that Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):

“And whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He
will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty).

3. And He will provide him from (sources) he never could
imagine”

[al-Talaaq 65:2-3]

The Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas was asked: I work
as an electronic engineer and my work involves fixing radios, TVs and VCRs,
and similar equipment. I hope that you can advise me as to whether I should
continue in this work, knowing that if I leave this job I will miss out on
a lot of experience in my field that I have been learning all my life, and I
may be adversely affected by leaving it.

They replied:

The evidence of
sharee’ah from the Qur’aan and Sunnah indicates that the Muslim must be keen
to seek a good income, so you should look for a job from which your income
will be good (i.e., halaal).

With regard to your income from the job you mention, it is
not good (halaal), because these machines are usually used for haraam
things.

Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah,
14/420.

See also question no. 39744.