Ramadan: Over 2.5 million at Mecca Grand Mosque as Quran recitation finished

Over 2.5 million people were at Mecca's Grand Mosque on Wednesday when the process of reciting the entire Quran during Ramadan was finished during evening prayers.

The faithful showed out in their droves for isha and taraweeh prayers. It is customary for mosques to recite the whole of the Muslim holy book in taraweeh - special Ramadan prayers - by the end of the sacred fasting month.

Prayers were led by mosque imam Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, the official Saudi Press Agency reported.

Mecca's Grand Mosque contains the Kaaba, the holiest site in Islam.

Ramadan is expected to end either on Thursday or Friday evening, depending on whether the moon is sighted on Thursday evening. The holy month is immediately followed by the Eid Al-Fitr holiday.

Moonsighting is typically performed on a country-by-country basis, leading to different dates for Ramadan and Eid in different places.

Many mosques in the United Kingdom follow Saudi Arabia's lead, believing it's not possible to do so in their own country.

But the Saudi process is criticised by many who point to scientific evidence showing the kingdom's sightings are sometimes impossible.