What is the wisdom behind the dowry (Mahr) in Islam? And does the dowry contradict the honoring of women, making her like a "prostitute" or a "slave" bought by a man, especially in light of fatwas that consider the man to be the "owner of the private parts (bida')" because he paid the dowry?

Marriage is an honorable act, not a sale or a lease, and it is valid without specifying the mahr (dowry) at the time of the contract. The mahr is one of the beauties of Islam and an honor for women. It is a symbol of honoring her and of the man’s desire to marry her, and it demonstrates the significance of the marriage contract, not a price for intimacy. Islam has freed the mahr from the element of material "price," as it has not set a specific amount for it. The mahr is a gift from Allah to the woman and an ordained right for her. It is illogical to abolish the mahr to address its exorbitant amounts; rather, it is a guarantee of women's rights and dignity. The mahr is not solely the wife's right, but it also includes a right for Allah the Almighty. The husband must ensure his wife's chastity with kindness and respond to her if she needs him and he is able.