Reciting another soorah before al-Faatihah goes against the teaching of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
Question

                can a person recite another surah or ayah from the quran before the fatiha in salah?
Praise be to Allah.It is not permissible to recite another soorah before
    al-Faatahih in the prayer. What is to be recited before al-Faatihah is the opening
    du’aa’, then one should say A’oodhu Billaahi min al-Shaytaan ir-Rajeem,
    then Bismillaahi ir-Rahmaan ir-Raheem. Whoever recites a soorah before al-Faatihah
    has gone against the teachings of the Prophet 
 (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
    him) who said, “Pray as you have seen me praying.” The Prophet 
 (peace and
    blessings of Allaah be upon him) never recited any soorah of the Qur’aan before
    al-Faatihah, rather he would recite an opening du’aa’, such as:
“Wajjahtu wajhiya lilladhi fatara al-samawaati wa’l-ard
    haneefan musliman wa maa ana min al-mushrikeen. Inna salaati wa nusuki wa mahyaaya wa
    mamaati Lillaahi Rabb il-‘Aalameen, laa shareeka lahu wa bidhaalika umirtu wa ana
    awwal ul-muslimeen, Allaahumma anta al-malik… (I have set my face towards the
    Originator of the heavens and the earth sincerely [in Islam], and I am not among the
    Mushrikeen. Indeed, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allaah, the
    Lord of the Worlds, no partner has He. With this I have been commanded and I am the first
    of the Muslims (those who submit to Him). O Allaah, you are the King…).” (Sifat
    Salaat al-Nabi by al-Albaani, 92).
    After that, he would seek refuge with Allaah and say Bismillaahi
    ir-Rahmaan ir-Raheem, then he would recite al-Faatihah, reciting it aloud or silently
    according to the requirements of the prayer being offered. (Sifat Salaat al-Nabi
    by al-Albaani, 95-97).