Suratu-l-Fatihah

Bismi-llahi-r-Rahmani-r-Rahim – In the Name of Allah, the Universally Merciful, the Singularly Compassionate

Al-Hamdu-li-llahi rabbi-l-‘alamin – Praise be to Allah, Lord of all the Worlds

Ar-Rahmani-r-Rahim – the Universally Merciful, the Singularly Compassionate

Maliki Yowmi-d-din.  – Master of the Day of Judgment

‘Iyyaka Na’budu wa ‘iyyyaka nasta’in – You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help

‘ihdina-s-sirata-l-mustaqim. – Guide us to the straight way

Sirata-l-ladhina ‘an’amta ‘alayhim ghayri-l-maghdubi ‘alayhim wa la-d-daaallin. – The way of those whom You have blessed, not the way of those on whom is Your anger, nor those who are astray

Amin – Amen

Fethi Benhalim recites it slowly here:

 Download audio file here:Slow Fatiha

He recites it at a normal pace here:   Download audio file here:Fatiha normal pace

The Prophet (saws) made mention of certain surahs and spoke of the blessings that come to the person who read them. “In Surah al-Fatihah there is balm for all sickness.” and, “Shall I tell you of the surah which is the greatest? It is Surah al-Hamd, which has seven ‘ayat called the Saba’ Mathani (the seven oft-repeated verses) and are the representatives of the entire Qur’an.”  And he said, “In the Garden there has been opened a door today which was never opened before, and out of it has descended an angel which never descended before.  The angel said to me, ‘Receive the good news of two lights which have never been bestowed on anyone before.  One is the Surah al-Fatihah, the other  is the last portion of Surah al-Baqarah (from 2:284 until the end).’  These are called nurayn because on the Day of Judgment they will go before those who read them.”