A Summary of the Concepts of Ahl al-Sunnah
The Difference Between a Messenger and a Prophet
The saying "A messenger is one who received revelation" is well-known,
"and was commanded to convey it."
"As for a prophet, he is one who received revelation,"
"but was not commanded to convey it."
And that is an inaccurate and incorrect saying.
The correct view is
that a messenger is one whom Allah sent,
so he was sent with the message of Islam and a new law.
And his message is met with a people who are disbelievers, denying it.
As for a prophet, he is one who informs on behalf of Allah.
He received revelation from Allah
to call his people to worship Allah alone,
according to a law that Allah sent down to a messenger before him.
So he is sent to a people who believe in the message of a messenger before him.
An example of this is
the prophets of the Children of Israel,
who used to rule their people and govern them
according to the rulings of the Torah, which was sent down to Moses, peace be upon him.
Allah the Almighty says:
"Indeed, We sent down the Torah, in it was guidance and light."
“Lo! We did reveal the Torah, wherein is guidance and a light, by which the prophets who surrendered (unto Allah) judged the Jews, and the rabbis and the priests (judged) by such of Allah's Scripture as they were bidden to observe, and thereunto were they witnesses. So fear not mankind, but fear Me. And My revelations for a little gain. Whoso judgeth not by that which Allah hath revealed: such are disbelievers.” (5:44)
Based on this, every messenger is a prophet,
but not every prophet is a messenger.
And all of them are commanded to convey Allah's call to their people.