Short answer
Yes. The family should pray Eid and keep its sunnahs. Outward mourning for a relative ends after three days, so skipping Eid or refusing new clothes for a whole year after a death has no basis. A widow in her iddah keeps her mourning rules, and quiet sadness on the day is natural.
The Eid prayer and Eid's sunnahs stay as they are after a death in the family. Outward mourning (hidad) beyond three days is not allowed except for a widow, who keeps it for her whole iddah.
The four schools agree on this.
Explanation
In many families, the first Eid after a death is a hard day. Some cultures go further and forbid celebrating Eid for a whole year, making sweets, or wearing new clothes. These customs come from love, but they are not from the sharia, and the four schools agree on the limits of mourning.
The Prophet ﷺ allowed outward mourning for three days for a relative, and four months and ten days for a widow. After that, the family returns to normal life, which includes the two Eids. Eid is a day of worship and thanks to Allah, not a party that dishonours the dead.
- Pray the Eid prayer and give zakat al-fitr as usual; see how to pray Eid salah.
- Wear clean or new clothes, eat and greet people. Keep the day calm if hearts are heavy.
- Remember the person with dua, and give charity in their name.
- Visit the grave if you wish. There is no special sunnah for an Eid visit, but visiting graves is good on any day.
- Let children enjoy Eid. They need joy, and it helps them heal.
If the death was within three days of Eid, the family may keep their outward mourning, while still praying Eid. A widow in iddah does not wear adornment, perfume or decorative new clothes, and stays home except for need; see what a widow can do.
Feeling sad on Eid is not a sin. The Prophet ﷺ wept for his son and said the eye weeps and the heart grieves. Tears and gratitude can sit together. See how long mourning lasts.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:185
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ هُدًۭى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَٰتٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَٱلْفُرْقَانِ ۚ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ ٱلشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ ۖ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍۢ فَعِدَّةٌۭ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ۗ يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُمُ ٱلْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ ٱلْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُوا۟ ٱلْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَىٰكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿١٨٥﴾
The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.
Eid is a day of glorifying Allah and gratitude.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1280
Sahih... لا يحل لامرأة تؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر أن تحد على ميت فوق ثلاث ...
"It is not lawful for a woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to mourn a dead person for more than three days."
Outward mourning for relatives ends after three days, except for a widow.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1303
Sahih... إن العين تدمع والقلب يحزن ولا نقول إلا ما يرضى ربنا ...
"The eye weeps and the heart grieves, but we say only what pleases our Lord."
Sadness is allowed alongside acceptance.
Where the ruling is recorded
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Talaq, Fasl fi al-Hidad. The three-day limit of mourning and the widow's mourning.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.