CAIRNS, Egypt -- Over the last few years I attended a number of my Muslim colleagues' marriage ceremonies at mosques. Every time I participate in this lovely occasion I get the impression that Muslim weddings have become closer, at least in form, to the wedding ceremonies of Christians.

In the past, Muslims used to celebrate weddings at home or in country clubs, but now there are big halls attached to mosques that are always occupied by successive weddings, especially on Thursdays and Fridays.

Last week I attended a friend's wedding at the mosque, where my first impressions about such ceremonies turned into convictions. It seems that there is now an Egyptian culture signifying the common rituals of all Egyptians. The marriage ceremonies on both sides have tilted toward one another.

Christians have to book a church a few months in advance to be allotted one hour for their ceremony. Muslims now have to do the same: when you enter the mosque's gate, particularly that of a famous one, you will find a timetable of the weddings scheduled for each day. Each couple on the long list is given only one hour.

At the church, the bride and groom sit on two prominent seats on the eastern part of the church, surrounded by flowers and candles. At the mosque's banquet hall, there is also a specific space for bride and groom, also decorated with flowers and candles.

As the couple enters the church, they are greeted with a lovely hymn about God, called "The King of Peace." At the mosque, the couple enters the hall during the recitation of the 99 attributes of God.

In the Christian wedding ceremony, each couple goes through a three-part religious process: the declaration, the blessings and the prayers. The priest has to announce the first names of the couple, and their desire to unite in Jesus Christ. Then, he blesses them and calls on attendees to pray to God to make both the groom and the bride happy and faithful in marriage.

At the mosque, I encountered similar rites. The registrar who conducts the marriage ceremony declares first names of the couple and announces their unity in Islam. He then asks the attendees to pray to God to fill the couple's future with goodness and prosperity.

Culturally we sometimes think that Muslims and Christians have become distant from one another. However, a deeper look into their daily life practices shows the many similarities between them, although they may appear unable to explore and sustain this closeness.

Unfortunately, fanatics on both sides preach a culture of hatred by drawing divisive lines between Christians and Muslims. When I shared my observation about the marriage ceremonies with a conservative Muslim friend, he admitted the similarities, but tried to convince me that what is going on is not new, only a manifestation of Egypt's return to pure Islamic teachings.

I continue to believe that Egyptians differ in religion, but unite in culture. I love to look at issues from a cultural perspective. So despite any apparent social disintegration, this makes me feel that I am still living in a united society.

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Sameh Fawzy is an Egyptian journalist, PhD researcher, and a specialist on governance and citizenship. This abridged article is distributed by the Common Ground News Service (CGNews).