When you google "how many rakats in Surah al-Fatiha", the top result that Google shows says 2 rakats (it's out of context from a Quora answer) which exposes that the person doesn't know anything about Islam like they were claiming. The full context of the 2 rakats result is this by the way: Sorry to say, every rakat of prayer ,you must recite In Hadith rasoolalla (pbuh) has explained that if you read only Fatiha in your salat, it is valid. Therefore you should be able to read any amount of verse after Surat Fatiha (which btw is a complete Surat already) that is convenient so long as the meaning is complete. fātiḥah, the "opening" or first chapter of the Muslim book of divine revelation, the Qurʾān; in tone and usage it has often been likened to the Christian Lord's Prayer.In contrast to the other surahs, which are usually narratives or exhortations delivered by God, the seven verses of the fātiḥah form a short devotional prayer addressed to God, and in oral recitation they are ended Bismillah is the First Ayah of Al-Fatihah. بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيم. (١) In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The Companions started the Book of Allah with Bismillah; The scholars also agree that Bismillah is a part of an Ayah in Surah An-Naml (Surah 27). Reciting Al-Faatihah for the dead. It is customary in our country on hearing the news of someone death, to say "Al-Fatihah", that is in addition to reciting "Innaalilaahi wa innaa ilaihi roji'un". This is to done to implore whoever is receiving the news to recite Surat AlFatihah and to ask Allah to give rewards of the recitation to dead person. You've basically answered your own question all I need to do is correct a few transliteration msitakes and put things together and explain. What you've heard before the recitation of al-Fatihah was the du'a (supplication) to take refuge by/in Allah from Satan the expelled which is recommended to do before beginning the recitation of the Qur'an as usually no reciter would be able to recite the .

how to read al fatihah