Is it permissible for a husband and wife to play board games such as scrabble to keep them occupied?

Answer

Anything which is haraam is never valid entertainment for a Muslim. The consequence of haraam is the Fire of Jahannam. According to the Hadith of Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) a person who plays board games is like one "who dips his fingers in the blood of a pig."

When a person is oblivious of Maut, the Qabar, the Aakhirat and the fact that life will soon come to an end, then such a person is constantly under the influence of shaitaan. That is why a person feels bored and requires haraam activities to eliminate the boredom. Engage in Thikrullah and read reliable Islamic literature, especially the anecdotes of the Auliya. Then, Insha-Allah, you will develop an aversion for all things haraam. Scrabble is haraam.