Did Umar Faruq, may Allah be pleased with him, prevent women from going to the mosques? This is common in India, even among scholars, which has led to the closure of mosques to women among the Hanafis.

It has not been established that Umar ibn al-Khattab prohibited women from going to the mosque; rather, what is established is that he merely disliked it. His wife used to pray in the mosque despite his dislike for it, and he did not prevent her because the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, forbade preventing women from mosques. As for what some Hanafi scholars narrated about Umar preventing women, it has not been proven with an authentic chain of transmission. The Hanafi school dislikes women's attendance at Friday prayers and congregational prayers due to fear of fitna (temptation/strife), especially young women, with a distinction made between elderly and young women. The preponderant opinion is that a woman's prayer in her home is better, but if she goes out to the mosque avoiding fitna, then it is not permissible to prevent her.