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Sheik Haruna being a learned Islamic Scholar whose grand parents assisted Sheik Usman Danfodio during the famous 1804 Jihad, decided to visit Katsina in search of further knowledge. He had earlier travelled to Islamic centres and learnt from great scholars in Mali, Senegal and the nearby towns of Dosso, Damagaram and Kance. Katsina was then the most famous Islamic Centre in Hausaland and a necessary part of the itinerary for scholars. Sheik Haruna arrived in Katsina in the year 1897 and became very close to Durbin Katsina Muhammadu Dikko and the Emir, Sarki Abubakar. He was recognized immediately as one of the most famous scholars of that time who needed no further training and therefore was appointed as one of the area Imams in Katsina. There were three major mosques in Katsina at that time. One was the Central Mosque located at the present head-quarters of Jama'atu Nasril Islam near the Emir's palace and headed by the Katsina Chief Imam. The second was located at Kofar Kaura and headed by Mallam Barmo while the third was located at Kofar Samri where Sheik Haruna was appointed to head as "Liman Haruna".
Durbi Muhammadu Dikko and Liman Haruna were so close to Sarkin Katsina Abubakar that when the British soldiers took over the control of the area in 1903 under the command of Lord Lugard, Sarki Abubakar appointed Durbi Dikko to be in charge of their affairs while Liman Haruna was appointed as their Chief Imam. It should be noted that except the two British officers, all the other British soldiers in Katsina were Muslim Nigerians commissioned into the army when the colonial headquarters was located at Lokoja and Zungeru in present day Kogi and Niger States respectively.
When Durbi Muhammadu Dikko became the Emir of Katsina in 1906, the first person he appointed was his most trusted friend, Sheik Haruna as the first Waziri of Katsina. That marked the beginning of the Sarki Dikko and Waziri Haruna dynasties in Katsina. Waziri Haruna was closely associated with the successes of Sarki Dikko, Sarkin Dawa Abubakar Lugga (son of Waziri Haruna and father of Waziri Sani Lugga) was equally associated with the successes of Sarki Usman Nagogo (son of Sarki Dikko). Sarki Muhammadu Kabir (grandson of Sarki Dikko) is now being ably assisted by Waziri Sani Lugga (grandson of Waziri Haruna).
Dr. Sani's mother was Hajiya Aisha, the daughter Mallam Zubair, who was the son of the Jihadists' cavalry war commander, Ubandawakin Katsina Muhammadu Sani, who served under Sarkin Katsina Abubakar. As a toddler, he was mostly under the care of his maternal grandmother's sister, a learned Islamic scholar called Malama Aisha Sodai. She was the daughter of Wazirin Mashi Sulaiman, the brother of Iyan Katsina Zakari (District Head of Mashi). Dr. Sani was taken back to his parents after the mandatory Qur'anic education and was enrolled into the formal primary school by his father. He continued with Islamic studies alongside formal education.
