Short answer
Both. In Islam Jesus (Isa) is a nabi (prophet) and a rasul (messenger) who was given a scripture, the Injil (Gospel), and sent to the Children of Israel. He is one of the five greatest messengers, the Ulu al-Azm (those of firm resolve), with Noah, Abraham, Moses and Muhammad ﷺ.
Believing that Isa was a true prophet and messenger of Allah is part of faith, and denying his prophethood is kufr. Believing in him as a prophet does not mean believing he is divine. All Muslim schools agree.
The four schools agree on this.
Explanation
Scholars usually explain the two words like this: every messenger is a prophet, but not every prophet is a messenger. A rasul is sent with a scripture or a law, while a nabi carries on and teaches an existing message. Jesus was given the Gospel and made some things lawful that had been forbidden before, so he is both. See how many prophets are there?
The Quran uses both titles for him. As a baby he said Allah "made me a prophet", and the angels foretold that he would be "a messenger to the Children of Israel". The Quran says Allah gave him the Gospel, "in which was guidance and light", confirming the Torah before it.
Jesus is also among the Ulu al-Azm, the messengers of firm resolve. The Quran names five prophets together when it speaks of the covenant Allah took and the religion He ordained: Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad ﷺ. Scholars took these five as the greatest of the messengers.
He was the last prophet before Muhammad ﷺ, who said there was no prophet between them. His mission was to call his people to worship Allah alone, confirm the Torah, and give good news of a messenger to come. See who is Jesus in Islam and Prophet Isa.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Maryam 19:30
قَالَ إِنِّى عَبْدُ ٱللَّهِ ءَاتَىٰنِىَ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَجَعَلَنِى نَبِيًّۭا ﴿٣٠﴾
[Jesus] said, "Indeed, I am the servant of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet.
Jesus is a prophet who was given a scripture.
Quran, Surah Aal-i-Imraan 3:49
وَرَسُولًا إِلَىٰ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ أَنِّى قَدْ جِئْتُكُم بِـَٔايَةٍۢ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ ۖ أَنِّىٓ أَخْلُقُ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلطِّينِ كَهَيْـَٔةِ ٱلطَّيْرِ فَأَنفُخُ فِيهِ فَيَكُونُ طَيْرًۢا بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَأُبْرِئُ ٱلْأَكْمَهَ وَٱلْأَبْرَصَ وَأُحْىِ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا تَأْكُلُونَ وَمَا تَدَّخِرُونَ فِى بُيُوتِكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَةًۭ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ ﴿٤٩﴾
And [make him] a messenger to the Children of Israel, [who will say], 'Indeed I have come to you with a sign from your Lord in that I design for you from clay [that which is] like the form of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird by permission of Allah. And I cure the blind and the leper, and I give life to the dead - by permission of Allah. And I inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses. Indeed in that is a sign for you, if you are believers.
Jesus is a messenger sent to the Children of Israel.
Quran, Surah Al-Ahzaab 33:7
وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِنَ ٱلنَّبِيِّۦنَ مِيثَٰقَهُمْ وَمِنكَ وَمِن نُّوحٍۢ وَإِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَى ٱبْنِ مَرْيَمَ ۖ وَأَخَذْنَا مِنْهُم مِّيثَٰقًا غَلِيظًۭا ﴿٧﴾
And [mention, O Muhammad], when We took from the prophets their covenant and from you and from Noah and Abraham and Moses and Jesus, the son of Mary; and We took from them a solemn covenant.
Jesus is named among the five greatest messengers.
Quran, Surah Al-Ahqaf 46:35
فَٱصْبِرْ كَمَا صَبَرَ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْعَزْمِ مِنَ ٱلرُّسُلِ وَلَا تَسْتَعْجِل لَّهُمْ ۚ كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَ مَا يُوعَدُونَ لَمْ يَلْبَثُوٓا۟ إِلَّا سَاعَةًۭ مِّن نَّهَارٍۭ ۚ بَلَٰغٌۭ ۚ فَهَلْ يُهْلَكُ إِلَّا ٱلْقَوْمُ ٱلْفَٰسِقُونَ ﴿٣٥﴾
So be patient, [O Muhammad], as were those of determination among the messengers and do not be impatient for them. It will be - on the Day they see that which they are promised - as though they had not remained [in the world] except an hour of a day. [This is] notification. And will [any] be destroyed except the defiantly disobedient people?
The messengers of firm resolve, of whom Jesus is one.
Sahih al-Bukhari 3442
Sahih... أنا أولى الناس بابن مريم والأنبياء أولاد علات ليس بيني وبينه نبي ...
"I am the closest of people to the son of Mary. The prophets are brothers by one father, and there was no prophet between me and him."
Jesus was the last prophet before Muhammad ﷺ.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Fiqh al-Akbar, the section on the prophets. Affirms belief in all the prophets and messengers.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.