HIJAB - Complete protection for women

Islam has made it very clear that all human beings, no matter whether men or women, are all the slaves of Almighty Allah.  All of them are the children of Hadhrat Adam and Hadhrat Hawwa (May peace be upon them).  Men and women are not slaves of each other.  As human beings, both of them have equal status in the society.  However, they are different in terms of their creation.  For this reason, their domains of life are different.  Both of them constitute the society equally.  Men are to shoulder the economic responsibilities and women are to minister the home and hearth.

Islam informs us that a woman’s real place is her own home.

Translation: - And remain in your houses with calm and peace and do not display adornment like that of the days of ignorance.  Surah Ahzab (33:33)

With this, it is clear that women should not leave their house with makeup, (i.e. with make-up), etc. for the sake of exhibiting their beauty.  However, the Shariah does not stop her from leaving her house for some necessity.  There is a Hadith in Sahih Bukhari:

Allah Ta'ala has permitted you to go out for your needs.  (Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 2, Hadith No. 4836, Pg. No. 788)

Where Islam has given women the permission to leave their houses for necessities, at the same time, it has given rules and guidelines that she follows the Hijab as it is a safeguard of her modesty and chastity.  This is her honor and if this honor gets blemished in any way, then she will fall into the abyss of dishonor.  To guard her chastity and to free from humiliation, she has been given the order of Hijab.

Where Islam has adorned women with Hijab/Hijab, it has also ordered men to lower their gaze.