[515] Hammer, _Staatsverfassung_, 10; D’Ohsson, i. 22-24. The _Multeka_ is the basis of D’Ohsson’s excellent work, which consists of a translation of the code with its comments, to which he has added observations of great value based on historical studies and on his own investigations during many years’ residence in Turkey. Heidborn, 44-69, gives a detailed account of the development of the Sacred Law. He also (pp. 85-89) describes the _Multeka_ and gives a table of its contents. [516] Heidborn, 40-41. This writer uses the form _fykyh_. [517] Snouck Hurgronje, in _Revue de l’Histoire des Religions_, xxvii. 1 ff., 74 ff. [518] Goldziher, in _Zeitschrift für Vergleichende Rechtswissenschaft_, viii. 406 ff.; Kohler, _ibid._ 424 ff.; Juynboll, 8, 310. [519] In Turkey at the present day the courts of the Sacred Law (_Sheriyeh_) have sole cognizance of the following classes of cases: “in civil law, questions concerning marriage, alimony, education of children, liberty, slavery, inheritance, wills, absence, and disappearance; in criminal law, suits concerning retaliation, the price of blood, the price of laming a limb, the price of causing an abortion, damages for disfigurements, the division of the price of blood” (Heidborn, 255). The _Nizamiyeh_, or secular courts, have sole cognizance of commercial and penal cases, and a few other groups. All other causes are taken before the _Sheriyeh_ courts if the parties agree; otherwise before the _Nizamiyeh_ courts. Thus the courts of the Sacred Law still retain a great deal of importance in Turkey. [520] See, in particular, above, pp. 40, 41, 42. See also Postel, i. 116 ff., 124 ff.; Ricaut, 200 ff. Heidborn, 43, comments on this state of affairs, and explains the comparatively recent further legal developments in Turkey as follows:—